Liam Hicks Bio
Liam John Sherwood Hicks (born June 2, 1999) is a Canadian professional baseball catcher for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). A product of the Canadian college ranks, Hicks entered professional baseball in 2021 and reached the majors four years later with Miami. He made his MLB debut on March 28, 2025.
Early Life and Background
Liam John Sherwood Hicks was born on June 2, 1999, and grew up in Canada. He attended Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute in Toronto, where he began to develop as a catcher in the Canadian baseball system. The Toronto area has produced a steady stream of position players who later moved to the United States for college competition, and Hicks followed that same path after high school.
After graduating from Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute, Hicks enrolled at Mineral Area College, a two-year program in Park Hills, Missouri. He played for the Mineral Area College baseball team for two seasons, using that environment to adjust to the pace and demands of U.S. college baseball. The school has long been a stop for Canadian and other international players who want to sharpen their skills before transferring to a four-year program.
Hicks later transferred to Arkansas State University, where he played for the Arkansas State Red Wolves for two seasons. Playing in the Sun Belt Conference gave him a higher level of competition and visibility heading into the MLB draft. By the time he wrapped up his time at Arkansas State, he had established himself as a catching prospect with a patient approach at the plate.
Path to Baseball
Hicks’s college arc took him from a Toronto high school to a two-year school in Missouri and finally to Arkansas State, a route that exposed him to different coaching styles and levels of play. At Mineral Area College, he worked on framing and receiving behind the plate while continuing to refine his offensive game. The move to Arkansas State placed him in a conference where he faced stronger pitching on a weekly basis.
His two seasons with the Arkansas State Red Wolves provided the platform that led to professional scouting attention. The Texas Rangers selected Hicks in the ninth round, with the 254th overall pick, of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the Rangers and received a $30,000 signing bonus, officially beginning his professional career in the same year he was drafted.
Liam Hicks Career
Early Career (2021-2022)
Hicks made his professional debut with the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Rangers shortly after signing in 2021. The ACL stint gave the Rangers a chance to see him against younger competition while he adjusted to a full professional schedule. From there, he climbed the ladder within the Texas system.
In 2022, Hicks spent the season across three affiliates: the High-A Hickory Crawdads, the Single-A Down East Wood Ducks, and the ACL Rangers. Across 50 appearances, he batted a cumulative .327/.462/.460 with three home runs, 32 runs batted in, and five stolen bases. The on-base numbers stood out and showed the plate discipline that had marked his college profile.
Texas Rangers (2021-2024)
After his 2021 signing, Hicks returned to action in 2022 and 2023 within the Rangers’ system. He split the 2023 season between High-A Hickory and the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders, appearing in 92 games. He hit a combined .275/.414/.373 with four home runs, 45 runs batted in, and seven stolen bases, showing consistent production against more experienced pitching.
Hicks remained in the Texas organization through the summer of 2024. On July 28, 2024, the Rangers traded Hicks and pitcher Tyler Owens to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for catcher Carson Kelly. That deal signaled a change in the Rangers’ catching depth chart and opened a new chapter for Hicks in the Tigers’ system.
Detroit Tigers (2024-2025)
Following the July 2024 trade, Hicks joined the Detroit organization and finished the year with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves. In 33 games down the stretch, he slashed .272/.414/.368 with two home runs, 14 runs batted in, and two stolen bases. His on-base percentage remained a calling card, even as the power numbers stayed modest.
Miami Marlins (2025-Present)
On December 11, 2024, the Miami Marlins selected Hicks from the Tigers in the Rule 5 draft. Because the Rule 5 process requires that a selected player remain on the acquiring club’s major league roster, the pick doubled as an indication that Miami viewed him as ready for the big leagues. Hicks made the Marlins’ Opening Day roster and made his MLB debut on March 28, 2025.
On April 19, 2025, Hicks hit his first career home run, connecting off Jordan Romano of the Philadelphia Phillies. The milestone gave the Marlins a memorable early-season moment from their Rule 5 catcher and marked a significant step in his development.
Driving Style and Strengths
Behind the plate, Hicks has been valued for his receiving and his patience at the plate. His minor league track record is defined less by raw power than by strong on-base percentages, including .462 in 2022 and .414 in both 2023 and his short 2024 stint at Double-A Erie. That profile suits a catcher who controls the strike zone, handles the staff, and puts himself into hitter’s counts.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones for Hicks include his 2021 selection by the Texas Rangers in the ninth round, his 2024 trade to the Detroit Tigers in the Carson Kelly deal, his December 2024 selection by the Miami Marlins in the Rule 5 draft, his MLB debut on March 28, 2025, and his first career home run off Jordan Romano on April 19, 2025. Each step marked a clear step up in competition and responsibility.
Liam Hicks Career Wins
Wins for a catcher are typically measured in offensive milestones, postseason appearances, and championships rather than individual victory counts on the mound. Hicks has not yet been credited with major individual awards or postseason series wins, and his career is still in its early stages with the Miami Marlins.
Minor League Highlights
Hicks’s most notable minor league season came in 2022, when he batted .327/.462/.460 across the High-A Hickory Crawdads, the Single-A Down East Wood Ducks, and the Arizona Complex League Rangers. He added three home runs, 32 runs batted in, and five stolen bases in 50 games. The following year at Hickory and Double-A Frisco, he produced a .275/.414/.373 line with four home runs, 45 runs batted in, and seven stolen bases across 92 games.
Other Wins and Performances
During his brief time in the Tigers’ system, Hicks played 33 games for the Double-A Erie SeaWolves in 2024, hitting .272/.414/.368 with two home runs, 14 runs batted in, and two stolen bases. He also reached the majors in 2025, where he recorded his first MLB hit and his first career home run as a member of the Miami Marlins.
Liam Hicks Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Liam Hicks’s family background is limited, and no specific family members have been identified in verified sources.
Personal Life
Verified personal details about Hicks’s life outside of baseball are limited. He is a Canadian national who grew up in the Toronto area before pursuing his college and professional career in the United States.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represents Liam Hicks’s first full year in Major League Baseball after the Miami Marlins selected him in the Rule 5 draft in December 2024. He made the Marlins’ Opening Day roster and debuted on March 28, 2025, immediately stepping into a catching role for the club. His first career home run on April 19, 2025, off Philadelphia Phillies reliever Jordan Romano, offered an early highlight in his big-league career.
Because Hicks was a Rule 5 selection, the Marlins must keep him on their major league roster for the full season, which has given him consistent playing time to adjust to MLB pitching. That daily exposure is a major part of his 2025 storyline as he works to cement himself as a long-term option behind the plate in Miami.
Looking ahead, the 2025 season is about proving he belongs at the major league level. Continued production at the plate, steady defense behind it, and a strong on-base approach will all factor into how the Marlins evaluate him once the Rule 5 obligations are met and beyond.