Hicks is scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut Thursday versus the Mets, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports.
The Cardinals deliberately delayed Hicks' first appearance of the spring as a means of conserving his bullets for the regular season. The 22-year-old is viewed as a candidate to close for the Cardinals, but manager Mike Shildt has yet to tip his hand regarding his plans for the ninth inning. Offseason pickup Andrew Miller and perhaps even -- when healthy -- Carlos Martinez (shoulder) could also be in the mix for saves early in 2019.