Aaron Hicks was the 14th overall pick of the 2008 draft by the Minnesota Twins.
From 2008 to 2012 he was rated one of the Twins Top 10 prospects, including twice as their #1 (2008 and 2009), and generally considered one of the better prospects in baseball. He projected to be a top of the order hitter with speed, decent pop and plus defense.
- Made the majors in 2013 but was never able to find any consistency with the Twins.
- In late-2015 the Twins traded him to the Yankees.
- Hicks continued to struggle with the Yankees in 2016, hitting .217/.281/.336 with 8 HR.
- It looks very much like he might never live up expectations.
Then something clicked in 2017.
- Hicks hit .266/.372/.475 with 15 HR. His OPS+ was 122–his previous four-year average was 77.
- 2018 was more of the same, hitting .248/.366/.467 with a career-high 27 HR and OPS+ of 123.
I got this autograph at the yearly Spring Training Yankees luncheon.