Liam Hicks details 'eventful' 2024, including trade, postseason taxi squad, Rule 5 draft

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Liam Hicks details 'eventful' 2024, including trade, postseason taxi squad, Rule 5 draft

Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press · Detroit Free Press

Sun, Dec 22, 2024 ·

9 min read

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Liam Hicks doesn't play for the Detroit Tigers .

The 25-year-old, a left-handed hitting catcher who draws walks and makes contact, could play for the Tigers again in the near future, but until further notice, he is a member of the Miami Marlins .

That's because the Marlins stole Hicks away from the Tigers as the second player taken the Rule 5 draft on Dec. 10, the final day of MLB's Winter Meetings. Four months earlier, the Tigers acquired Hicks (and right-handed reliever Tyler Owens ) from the Texas Rangers in the Carson Kelly trade , just before the July 30 trade deadline.

Hicks has been a part of three organizations in the past six months, from the Rangers to the Tigers to the Marlins.

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Detroit Tigers catcher Liam Hicks with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves in the 2024 season.

He also joined the Tigers throughout the 2024 postseason as part of the exclusive traveling taxi squad, making him the third catcher on the depth chart behind Jake Rogers and Dillon Dingler .

As a Rule 5 draftee, Hicks must stay on the Marlins' 26-man roster for the entire 2025 season. If the Marlins remove him, he must be placed on waivers, and if he clears waivers, he must be offered back to the Tigers.

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Hicks talked to the Free Press about going from the Rangers to the Tigers at the trade deadline, joining the Tigers for the postseason and being selected by the Marlins in the Rule 5 draft.

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Did you expect to be traded in 2024?

"I had no thoughts that I would get traded. I was supposed to play. I was in the lineup, and then a few hours before the game, I was told not to hit, and then I was scratched from the lineup because my name came up in some talks. Immediately, I was thinking it's possible. I went out for the game, and in the first inning, I was called into the manager's office with Tyler (Owens), and we learned the news. 'Shocked' would be the first word that comes to mind. Didn't think it was a possibility, and then I have so many good relationships with those guys. It was a little bittersweet moment. Sad to leave those guys, but also, I knew it was a cool opportunity that the Tigers were trading a big leaguer for me."

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What was it like joining the Tigers at Double-A Erie?

"It was tough at first because I went straight from Frisco (in Texas) to Portland (in Maine). They were on the road for two weeks. Every team has different ways to communicate scheduling and little things on the day-to-day that you wouldn't really think about. It was an adjustment that first week, but the players were super cool, good staff there that made me feel welcome. It was one of those things where you get in a new situation, you want to play well and prove to them why they traded for you. It took a little bit of an adjustment, and then I started playing well. I think getting comfortable with the guys and the staff, it ended up working really well, and I started playing a lot better, too."

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What clicked for you in 38 games with Double-A Erie, especially hitting .341 with a .958 OPS in the final 27 games? (For hitting, Hicks learned from Double-A Erie hitting coach CJ Wamsley, Tigers hitting coordinator Max Gordon and Tigers director of player development Kenny Graham.)

"The hitting coaches really helped me there. I played OK for the first couple of weeks, not great, and then they gave me a few suggestions. One thing that stands out is a conversation where they wanted me to be a little bit more aggressive, not worry about swinging and missing. I get in a 2-0 count, don't worry about swinging and missing, take a good swing like you're expecting a fastball and try to do some more damage. That was a cool thing. They wanted me to do more damage and take some chances in some plus-counts. The hitting coaches also helped with the swing. I had some thoughts on some things that I needed to work on, and they gave me some good drills. We did some work hitting plyoballs, like heavy balls, which help to see how your contact is off the bat. It's immediate feedback. We worked with that. They were open with anything. I asked them for some damage, and they were super helpful with that. It was good. ... I've always known I that I need to improve as a power hitter. ... And then just getting the barrel in the zone for a longer time. I hadn't thought about that cue in a couple of years. As a player, you have a bunch of different cues that you go through. That was one that kind of clicked in that last month or so in Erie."

How did you find out the Tigers were putting you on the taxi squad for the 2024 postseason?

"The day of the (Eastern League) championship game, we were in Somerset (in New York). (Double-A Erie manager) Gabe Alvarez called me into his office when we got off the bus there. He was on the phone with (assistant general manager Ryan) Garko. He's like, 'Hey, we've got some news for you.'"

What did you think he was going to say?

"I was thinking they were going to tell me that I didn't have to go to instructs. I was supposed to go to instructs after the season. I was assuming that they were going to be like, You guys played a long year, you made it to the championship, so you don't have to go to Lakeland (in Florida) for instructs. That was my first thought, but I really had no idea."

So what did Gabe Alvarez tell you?

"He told me I was going to be on the taxi squad (for the Tigers). And then he was like, 'You might even be with the big leagues.' He had just mentioned that, but there was no guarantee. I went to Toledo, we practiced for a week, and then Garko called me one night and was like, 'You're going to travel with the team tomorrow.' Me and Ryan Kreidler got a ride to the airport and met with the team there."

What was it like joining the Tigers for the playoffs?

"It was really cool. I was a little nervous. I didn't know anyone in the organization, either. Obviously, they were doing something special in the big leagues, so I didn't want to be in the way. I didn't know a single person up there, except for (Jackson) Jobe. I was a little nervous. I didn't know what the vibe would be like. I was coming along for a playoff run, and I didn't do anything all year. But then I got there, and it was totally the opposite. They were all so cool and super welcoming, super friendly. Everyone introduced themselves when I got on the plane. They just made me feel like I was a part of the team."

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The Tigers didn't protect you from the Rule 5 draft, so did you expect to be picked?

"I saw a couple of articles before that just mentioned my name, but the articles were mentioning a lot of guys. I saw other articles of other lists that I wasn't included in. I was like, I guess maybe there's a chance. But I did not get my hopes up at all. I know it's pretty rare for a catcher to get taken. I didn't expect to get taken."

How did you find out that the Marlins took you from the Tigers?

"I wasn't going to watch because I wasn't home. I was working out at my facility. But one of my good friends and former teammate from Frisco (with the Rangers) pulled it up on his phone and walked over to me as I was finishing up my lift. He said, 'Hey, the Rule 5 draft is on.' Within the first 30 seconds, they announced that I was taken by the Marlins. We weren't really paying attention. We just started paying attention as they were announcing it, so I had no idea what team is what or anything, but we were just freaking out. It was crazy."

How does it feel to know that you're lined up to make your MLB debut in late March with the Marlins?

"Definitely an honor. That's the biggest thing. Super cool to get picked. We were kind of freaking out. But nothing is set in stone. Nothing has actually happened. There's so much work to do to earn that and do as much as I can to prove them that it was a good selection and break with the team. I need to show them that I'm ready to play in the big leagues. That's the main thing."

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What are the strengths and weaknesses of your game?

"Offensively, I think I have a really good approach. I'm going to put together a competitive at-bat more often than not. I put the ball in play a good amount. I can do damage when mistakes are made. Power is the main thing to improve upon. I want to hit for more power without sacrificing what I do well, as far as the line drives, consistent contact, good plate discipline. Defensively, I'm an extremely hard worker. The Rangers were really good with pitcher-catcher relationship, so knowing your pitchers and game-calling. Those are my main strengths. Areas of improvement, I think all-around catching, you can never be too good. This past year, I really wanted to work on my throwing. It got a little bit better than the year before, but that's something I'm constantly working on. Receiving is the main thing. You're impacting the game with every pitch. To be an elite receiver, you can impact the game so much. Trying to be better as a receiver every day is really important."

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .

Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts .

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ex-Detroit Tigers prospect Liam Hicks details 'eventful' 2024

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