Brandon Hicks
From BR Bullpen
Brandon Ryan Hicks
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 2", Weight 200 lb.
- School Texas A&M University, San Jacinto College
- High School Sam Rayburn High School
- Debut May 5, 2010
- Born September 14, 1985 in Houston, TX, USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Brandon Hicks made his MLB debut in 2010.
Hicks came to Texas A&M as a junior college transfer in 2007. He hit .338 with 75 runs and 28 steals that year while helping the team finish 12th in NCAA Division I. The Atlanta Braves chose the shortstop in the 3rd round of the 2007 amateur draft, the second collegian they picked that year after Joshua Fields.
Hicks was signed by scout John Barron and split his first pro summer between the Danville Braves (.224/.370/.466 in 18 G) and Rome Braves (.313/.433/.492 in 37 G). He then hit .188 for the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League. Baseball America rated him the #8 prospect in the Appalachian League, right behind fellow shortstop Pete Kozma and just ahead of Steve Evarts, a teammate.
In 2008, Brandon bounced between the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (.248/.361/.428, 29 2B, 16 HR, 81 R, 78 RBI, 77 BB, 17 SB, 8 CS) and Mississippi Braves (.241/.333/.389 in 16 G). Overall, he was 4th among Atlanta minor leaguers with 20 homers, 6 behind leader Cody Johnson. He was named to the Carolina League All-Star team as the circuit's top shortstop, joining Beau Mills, Jim Negrych, Travis Jones and Niuman Romero as the infielders selected. Baseball America ranked him as the #13 Carolina League prospect (between Tyler Flowers and Brandon Allen) and the best defensive shortstop in the league.
Hicks spent 2009 with Mississippi and hit .237/.319/.373 with 17 SB in 18 tries. Baseball America ranked him as the Best Defensive infielder and the Best Infield Arm in the Atlanta minor league chain and as the Braves' #18 prospect. He hit .310 for the Peoria Saguaros in the AFL that year.
The Houston native began 2010 with the Gwinnett Braves and did nothing impressive at the plate - .179/.258/.262 with 21 strikeouts in 84 AB - in his first 25 games. He was then called up to replace the injured Yunel Escobar in Atlanta.
Hicks debuted in the majors as a pinch-runner for Troy Glaus in the 10th inning of a 6-6 game; wound up scoring from second on a Matt Diaz single. His next appearance was also as a pinch-runner. His first at-bat came on May 7; pinch-hitting for Derek Lowe, he struck out against 47-year-old Jamie Moyer the day Moyer became the oldest major leaguer to throw a shutout.
