Hicks reclaimed the title of hardest thrower in baseball by hitting 102 mph Tuesday against the White Sox, MLB.com reports.
The Marlins' Tayron Guerrero held the title for one day after hitting 101.8 mph Monday, but the crown was back with Hicks within a day. His 1.17 ERA through 15.1 innings fits the profile of someone who can hit 102 mph, but his 6.71 xFIP is fitting for someone who had never pitched above High-A. His low ERA seems more related to luck than anything else, as he's allowed just a .182 BABIP and is stranding 87.5 percent of runners. Somehow, despite his impressive fastball, he's struck out just 10.5 percent of batters faced, and he seems to have no idea where his pitches are going, posting a 19.4 percent walk rate. His minus-9 percent strikeout minus walk rate is second-worst among pitchers who have thrown at least 10 innings. He's an exciting talent, but all the signs seem to point to heavy regression with the ERA.