Dalton Hicks

[nicksaviking]

Dalton (nee DJ) Hicks

http://www.milb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_543306.jpg

 

Hicks is a 6'5" 250 lb 1B drafted out of Central Florida in the 17th round of the 2012 draft. His size is indicative of his expected talents. He is an all-or-nothing hitter who, if he makes it to the majors, may very well turn out to be a true three outcome hitter. He is only suited to play 1B as he is slower than Adam Dunn with his leg caught in a bear trap, but he does possess great power potential; a quality most clubs seek in a firstbaseman.

 

Out of high school he was drafted by the Giants in the 46th round. He went to college instead, but he was included on the Maxpreps 2008 All-American team with the likes of Danny Hultzman, Garrit Cole, Kyle Skipworth, Eric Hosmer, Tim Beckham, Casey Kelly, Zach Hood, Matt Hobgood and fellow Twins BJ Hermson and Aaron Hicks. Very strong company by any evaluation.

 

Hicks ended last season in dramatic fashion, hitting a walk off grandslam in the decisive game of the Appalacian Leage championship.

 

He finished the season with a .270/.382/.435 slash to go along with four HR, although the last one was probably worth more than the first three combined. The four HR was a little light for the all-or-nothing slugger but he did miss three weeks in the end of July/beginning of August.

 

 

 

[nicksaviking]

Like most of the guys in the Twins A leagues, Hicks has started the 2013 season off well. In 12 games he's got a slash of .349/.426/.732. Simple math shows an exciting OPS of 1.157. While his power was unexpectedly lacking last year, his 3 HR is only one off from last season's total. Additionally, while the sample size is small, his 6 BB and 5 K in 47 plate appearances is certainly encouraging.[TABLE=class: sortable stats_table]

 

 

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[Seth Stohs]

Hicks is a big guy (think Adam Dunn) with a big-time upper cut, probably too big to succeed as he moves up. But he has tremendous power and a pretty decent eye at the plate. Hard to believe a guy like this lasts until the 17th round, but it could be body-type sorts of evaluation too.

[nicksaviking]

Yeah, the DH bodies are becoming passe in this generation of baseball. He'll likely have to be servicable at 1B to have a chance at making it.

[nicksaviking]

The weather has caused some issues for Iowa baseball in the past week. Because of this, Hicks has only played in 3 games in the past week. Hicks had but one hit in those three games. He had 3 strikeouts in the game last night though he did not wiff once in the two prior games.

[nicksaviking]

Hicks connected with his 4th HR of the season last night to match his his short season total from the year previous.

 

Unfortunately his strikeouts have increased over the past 6 games as he has wiffed 11 times including 5 games with multiple strikeouts.

[nicksaviking]

Hicks season continues to provide some unusual statistics. Last week he was having issues with strikeouts, this week they have not been an issue, in such that, he has not whiffed once in the past six games. Also over those six games he is batting .346, yet has only one extra-base-hit (a double). Additionally in each and every game he has a lone RBI.

[nicksaviking]

Hicks is staying hot. Sitll only 1 strikeout in his last seven games. Yesterday he met up with his 5th HR of the season which was a day after going 4-5 with 3 runs scored.

[nicksaviking]

he Kernals played ten games in eight days, Hicks started all of them. The strikeouts returned this week with 11 in the ten games with 4 multi-strikeout games. He had four extra-base its, all doubles.

[nicksaviking]

Hicks has not gone deep since May 9th. Without developing power he's not likely to go far. He is continuing his strikeout trend and he only has one extra base hit in the last ten games. Like the rest of the Kernels he's in a funk.

[nicksaviking]

In Hicks' last seven games he hast hit .500 with 7 extra-base hits including a 2 HR game Saturday. His K/BB ratio is a nice 1:1 as well, in fact Tuesday's 3K game was his first multi K game since April 23.

 

Also a congratulations to Hicks on being named to the Midwest League All-Star team. Promotions are likely coming after the All-Star break and once the draft picks start signing. Many people will be looking for Hicks' more heralded teamates to be on the move but with the lack of 1B prospects in the system, Hicks may be on the move as well, particularly if Kennys Vargas moves on to AA.

[nicksaviking]

Hicks had a big night for the Kernels on draft night. He went 2-5 with two more HR. That's 2 mulit-HR games in the last five along with 10 RBI in that time frame. He's pushed his BA over .300 and his OPS over .900 once again.

[big dog]

Thanks for the updates. Let's hope he keeps this going!

[30whales]

I know that Hicks is doing well but is there any chance that we could actually see him up in the majors ever? I guess this may be a stupid question but I just see all these prospects who are doing well and just don't know which ones could actually make an impact in the majors.

[nicksaviking]

Well he's limited to 1B/DH so that limits his potential. He strikes out a lot but maybe not as much as expected. Guys like him generally don't make it but if he puts up strong HR numbers he'll likely get a very long audition. He's hitting well now but a lot of guys do in this league. We likely won't have a good feel for if he'll make it to the big leagues until we see if he can keep hitting at the next two levels.

[nicksaviking]

Hicks went 2-5 with his 10th HR and picked up two more RBI. He leads the league with 56. Unfortunately he also struck out two times, something he has done in four of his last five games. He's still outperforming his 2012 drat position and looking good for a promotion to Ft. Myers in the near future.

[nicksaviking]

In three games since the All-Star break Hicks has gone 6-15 with 4 more RBI. He has also struck out four times. Hopefully a promotion is on the horizon but at the moment he has nowhere to play at Ft. Myers as Kennys Vargas is still waiting on his promotion as well.

[goulik]

First CR Kernels game and was stunned by his size... He's a big young man!!

[nicksaviking]

Big indeed and although I don't like to stereotype guys, his game is as his body suggest. Boom or Bust.

 

Hicks followed up his 4K performance on July 3rd by going 2-4 with a HR on Independence Day.

[lightfoot789]

Big indeed and although I don't like to stereotype guys, his game is as his body suggest. Boom or Bust.

 

Hicks followed up his 4K performance on July 3rd by going 2-4 with a HR on Independence Day.

 

The whole team was a Bust on July 3rd (15K's). Hicks has hit for average this year and I bet most guys would take a player who hits near .300 and leads the league in RBIs. That's not Boom or Bust to me. He has argueably been the most consistent guy in the line up (on a team that leads the league in most offensive categories). Not fast maybe - but no where near a bust at this point in his career. All he does is produce............... Can't call that a Bust

[nicksaviking]

The whole team was a Bust on July 3rd (15K's). Hicks has hit for average this year and I bet most guys would take a player who hits near .300 and leads the league in RBIs. That's not Boom or Bust to me. He has argueably been the most consistent guy in the line up (on a team that leads the league in most offensive categories). Not fast maybe - but no where near a bust at this point in his career. All he does is produce............... Can't call that a Bust

 

No I wouldn't call his overall game a bust at all. I was simply referring to his individual at bats. He's a high HR, high K kind of guy. Boom or Bust.

 

Hicks has a nice 7 game hitting streak including 4 multi-hit games and 8 RBI over that stretch extending his league lead in that department. Hicks now has 81RBI on the season pulling away from teammate Adam Walker who is now 12 behind. 19-year-old middle infielder Jorge Polanco is now 3rd.

 

These guys really should be in Ft. Myers.

[nicksaviking]

Hicks' first game at Ft. Myers was a 1/4 night. The hit was a 2 run HR. He struck out one time. Nice start.

[nicksaviking]

Hicks' fifth game in High A was a big one as he went 3-4 with 2 BB. He hit a 2-R HR, plating 3 total RBI and scoring 4 runs.

[nicksaviking]

Hicks has just one multi-hit game in his last seven and his average has dropped to .255. He has had only two multi-strikeout games over that same period however while drawing 5 walks and scoring 6 runs.

[nicksaviking]

Hicks has only two extra base hits in his last ten games, both being doubles. He is getting on base however, with hits in all but two of the games. He has nine strikeouts over that span but only one multi-strikeout game.

 

For the year he is still hitting .295/.359/.474 with 15 HR and 96 RBI.

[nicksaviking]

Hicks has a 1.117 OPS over his last 10 games. He has seven extra base hits with two HR and five doubles. He has a 6/7 BB/K ration over that period and has raised his average in the FSL to .299. On the year his counting stats are .297 avg, 17 HR and 105 RBI.

 

Hicks is proving to be a bargain for a 16th round pick and he'll be angling for a promotion to New Britain to start next year and may have surpassed Kennys Vargas as the organizations top 1B prospect.

[nicksaviking]

Hicks is finishing the regular season on a bit of a cold streak. On the heels of perhaps his most impressive run of the season, he has managed only 1 extra base hit over the last ten games with an OPS of mearly .531.

 

One last regular season series to go until Hicks has a chance to play playoff hero once again.