The Cubs have agreed to a minor league contract with veteran catcher/first baseman John Hicks, as first indicated on the team’s official transactions log. Hicks, a client of Full Circle Sports Management, figures to be in big league camp whenever the lockout ends. The Cubs haven’t formally announced the move or a non-roster invite, but a player with Hicks’ track record and experience generally warrants such an offer.
Hicks, 32, has spent parts of six seasons in the Majors, mostly coming with the Tigers. He’s also had brief appearances with the Mariners, for whom he made his MLB debut in 2015, and with the Rangers, for whom he played in 10 games this past season.
While Hicks doesn’t have a sterling offensive track record in the big leagues, he’s been more productive than the average backup catcher. He slugged four homers and a double in just 31 plate appearances with the Rangers this past season and, for the better part of the 2017-18, was a semi-regular in Detroit while hitting a combined .263/.317/.417 with 15 round-trippers and 24 doubles in 502 plate appearances.
Those numbers don’t include a dismal 2019 season, however, wherein Hicks logged a career-high 333 plate appearances but posted a career-worst .210/.240/.379 slash with a sky-high 32.7% strikeout rate. On the whole, he’s a lifetime .236/.279/.401 hitter in 902 plate appearances at the MLB level, and he’ll also carry a .275/.314/.438 career batting line in parts of five Triple-A seasons into his fourth organization.
Defensively, Hicks has split his time in nearly even fashion between catcher (928 innings) and first base (924 innings) in the Majors. He’s thwarted a hefty 32% of stolen-base attempts against him in the big leagues, but Hicks also has generally poor framing numbers behind the dish and negative overall marks in Defensive Runs Saved (-5 at both catcher and first base).
As things currently stand, Hicks is a ways down the depth chart in Chicago. Two-time All-Star Willson Contreras is slated to reprise his role as the team’s starter, and Chicago also brought Yan Gomes into the mix on a two-year, $13MM deal earlier this winter. The size of the commitment to Gomes and the fact that Contreras is slated to become a free agent at season’s end only further fueled longstanding trade speculation regarding Contreras. If a deal were to ultimately come together, Hicks and P.J. Higgins would vie for a backup job behind Gomes, but for now, Hicks is likely ticketed for Triple-A Iowa.
jawinks
Junkyard Jed playing for October
Dumpster Divin Theo
I resemble that remark
Bob Sacamano 310
The backup to Gomes once Willy is traded.
Dumpster Divin Theo
You’re a horrible arbiter of what transpires on the field of play. Horrible!
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
No Gomes is the backup to Willson.
Bob Sacamano 310
True, but so is what I said: “once Willy is traded.”
FrankDrebin
Hicks led the Tigers and provided the needed spark
ChiSox_Fan
Led the Tigers to what?
Dumpster Divin Theo
I don’t think that’s Enrico
Cubneck
I still have a feeling Jed is going to take on Hosmer and his salary from San Diego to get Campusano to be their cat her of the future. As such Hicks would provide veteran insurance in cade Campusano initially struggles in a time share with Gomes
Ogie Oglethorpe
I would be good with that. Once you get past 2022, his contract is 13/year for three years. I’ll take on. Couple of MLB ready players for Hosmer.
HalosHeavenJJ
Exactly. Cubs are a big market team, they can act like one and essentially buy some prospects here.
Key is to get the right prospects.
Tom Emansk1
It would make a ton of sense. I would ask for Campusano plus, but it would make sense for both sides. Even if Hosmer is terrible, they can flip him in 2 years for less prospect capital than they got for taking him. And in general, while I’m in favor of extending Willson, acquiring Campusano would free him up as another piece to be traded as part of the retool.
paindonthurt
Maybe Myers as well to sweeten the prospect pot.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
That would be awful. Cubs are better off re-signing Rizzo. You don’t need Campusano when you have Willson as your starting catcher and Yan Gomes as the back up. I can see a possible trade of Contreras if 1. Amaya was ML ready and 2. Not for the season recovering from TJS..
ChiSox_Fan
Looks like Rizzo NOT coming back!
rememberthecoop
Nothing regarding this news has anything to do with Rizzo coming back or not. Personally, I don’t think he’s coming back and to be honest, he has not been very good since 2019 anyway.
BSHH
Since decent FA catchers are rather scarce, it is indeed surprising that Hicks chose the Cubs, where he would have to fight for the #3C position on the depth chart with his only chances of MLB ABs looming in case of trades or injuries. I consider Hicks to be better than the usual AAAA catcher, so I guess he knows why he signed with the Cubs.
Gruß,
BSHH
Bob Sacamano 310
Fight for backup spot.* With one year left of Contreras and the money Gomes signed for (a little rich for a backup) and with the season he had, he wasn’t signing to be a backup. Contreras, if not traded before the season, will likely be dealt early in the season. The writing is on the wall.
stymeedone
I think you meant that he will not be in AAA long, if at all, as he will be the back up to Gomes once Contreras is traded.
Monkey’s Uncle
If Hicks sticks, will it be just for kicks, or will he get in his licks?
Sorry, I’ll hit the bricks.
bigdaddyhacks
It’s almost like these guys know there isn’t going to be a mlb season and are all going to play in AAA to stay in game shape.
Rsox
Amaya is out for most of the year. Hicks’ job is to likely backup Higgins in AAA
PutPeteinthehall
Hicks is the backup for Gomes.
Willson will be traded. Amaya might not ever be a big leaguer. Time will tell about him.
Jimbob 57
Hicks was signed has depth with MLB experience because Higgins had TJS and may not be ready until July and we try to keep from having all these guys come up when someone gets hurt that have no mlb experience
midway_monster85
Look at us… hobnobbing over a minor league signing