Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Cutter: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55 | Overall: 40

Hicks starred for two years at Crowder (Mo.) JC before transferring to South Carolina for 2022, only to blow out his elbow in his second start and have Tommy John surgery that March. He turned down the Orioles as a 15th-rounder, came back for his redshirt junior year and joined the Astros as a 13th-rounder in 2023. A line drive broke his right forearm in April last season, costing him three months, though he returned to win Arizona Fall League pitcher of the year honors with 19 strikeouts in 14 scoreless innings.

Hicks succeeds with command over pure stuff, with his two- and four-seam fastballs ranging from 91-94 mph but playing as average pitches because he locates them so well. His stuff is mostly average across the board, with his sweeping low-80s slider and fading mid-80s changeup his best secondary offerings. He also mixes in a tight mid-80s cutter and a fringy upper-70s curveball.

While he lacks a true weapon, Hicks' arsenal is more effective than the sum of its parts because he mixes pitches and locations so well. He creates some deception with an upright delivery and low three-quarters slot that creates wide angle and a flat approach on his pitches. He has one of the highest floors among the system's pitchers and could help Houston at some point this season.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55 | Overall: 40

After starring for two years at Crowder (Mo.) JC, Hicks transferred to South Carolina for the 2022 season but blew out his elbow in his second start and had Tommy John surgery that March. The Orioles still selected him in the 15th round, but he returned to pitch well in a variety of roles for the Gamecocks the following spring before signing with the Astros as a 13th-rounder. He demonstrated some of the best command in the system while reaching Double-A midway through his first full pro season last year.

Hicks' best pitches are his low-90s two-seam fastball with sink and a mid-80s changeup with fade and depth. Since turning pro, he has added a slightly harder four-seamer and a low-80s slider with more sweep to an arsenal that also includes a curveball in the upper 70s and a more traditional slide piece in the low 80s. His breaking stuff pales in comparison to the rest of his repertoire.

None of Hicks' six offerings grades as better than average, but they work because he sequences them well and works all four quadrants of the strike zone. His low three-quarters slot creates wide angle and a flat approach trajectory that provides deception. He's on track to help the Astros as a back-of-the-rotation starter or middle reliever sooner than initially expected.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55 | Overall: 40

Hicks starred for two years at Crowder (Mo.) JC before transferring to South Carolina in 2022, only to have his elbow blow out in his second start for the Gamecocks. The Orioles still drafted him in the 15th round that July, but he turned them down and signed with the Astros as a 13th-rounder a year later. He earned two promotions in the first two months of his first full pro season, reaching Double-A in late June.

In college, Hicks' two best offerings were a 91-94 mph sinker that touched 96 and a tumbling mid-80s changeup. He also had a so-so upper-70s curveball and a low-80s slider. After he turned pro, Houston helped him add a four-seam fastball that reaches the mid-90s more regularly than his two-seamer does, and also a more sweeping version of his slider.

None of his six pitches is a true plus offering, but they work well together because of Hicks' ability to mix them and pound the strike zone. He can pitch to both corners while keeping hitters off balance, though he doesn't have much margin for error. He could help the Astros as a No. 5 starter or middle reliever sooner than expected.

Awards

AFL Pitcher of the Year

Year	Team
2025

AFL Rising Stars

Year	Team
2025

AFL Pitcher of the Week

Week	Team
10/26/2025

TEX Pitcher of the Week

Week	Team
09/07/2025

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/05/2026	RHP James Hicks assigned to Houston Astros Prospects.
	11/08/2025	American League Fall Stars activated RHP James Hicks.
	09/10/2025	RHP James Hicks assigned to Scottsdale Scorpions.
	08/10/2025	Corpus Christi Hooks activated RHP James Hicks from the 60-day injured list.
	05/12/2025	Corpus Christi Hooks transferred RHP James Hicks from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.
	04/25/2025	Corpus Christi Hooks placed RHP James Hicks on the 7-day injured list.
	03/06/2025	activated RHP James Hicks.
	02/24/2025	RHP James Hicks assigned to Houston Astros.
	09/24/2024	Corpus Christi Hooks activated RHP James Hicks.
	09/09/2024	Corpus Christi Hooks transferred RHP James Hicks to the Development List.
	06/24/2024	RHP James Hicks assigned to Corpus Christi Hooks from Asheville Tourists.
	04/29/2024	RHP James Hicks assigned to Asheville Tourists from Fayetteville Woodpeckers.
	04/04/2024	RHP James Hicks assigned to Fayetteville Woodpeckers from FCL Astros.
	07/18/2023	FCL Astros activated RHP James Hicks.
	07/18/2023	RHP James Hicks assigned to FCL Astros.
	07/18/2023	FCL Astros activated RHP James Hicks.
	07/15/2023	Houston Astros signed RHP James Hicks.
	03/26/2023	South Carolina Gamecocks activated RHP James Hicks.
	03/26/2023	RHP James Hicks Jr. assigned to South Carolina Gamecocks.
	03/31/2022	RHP James Hicks and assigned to South Carolina Gamecocks.