Liam Hicks

Hicks was acquired by Detroit from the Rangers at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Carson Kelly to Texas and he was then snagged by the Marlins in this offseason's Rule 5 draft. Hicks projects to be a backup catcher long term, and he'll need to be kept in the majors all season otherwise Miami would have to return him to Detroit. Hicks' production at Double-A improved after the trade, as he slashed .272/.414/.368 with two home runs, two steals, a 15.9 percent walk rate and a 9.7 percent strikeout rate in 33 games after slashing .260/.364/.353 with four home runs in 80 games with the Rangers' Double-A affiliate. Hicks hasn't logged a slugging percentage higher than his on-base percentage since he was in rookie ball in 2022, so it's pretty clear that power won't be a big part of the equation but he could be one of Miami's better on-base threats. Hicks will be competing with Nick Fortes and prospect Agustin Ramirez for playing time behind the dish, and he could also get starts at first base and designated hitter if he's holding his own as a hitter. Read Past Outlooks