Does Aaron Hicks Come Full Circle?

With the center field position being a possible area of need for Rocco Baldelli’s club, it is up to the front office and their evaluation of internal options to decide if something else is needed. So far, they have passed on Kevin Kiermaier and Harrison Bader. They probably aren’t going to factor into the Cody Bellinger sweepstakes, and while Michael A. Taylor could be brought back, there has not been much steam on that front.

Certainly, the Twins could trade for someone like Dylan Carlson, or they could decide that Nick Gordon, Willi Castro, and eventually Austin Martin are all workable partners. If they want to reunite with a familiar name, though, Aaron Hicks may have some allure.

Now 34 years old, Hicks was the Twins' first-round pick in 2008, out of high school. He worked his way up through the system, and he provided more usable results than promising outfield prospect Joe Benson before him. Still, Hicks struggled with switch-hitting for Minnesota, and as a younger kid looking to mature, he found himself drawing the ire of both Paul Molitor and Ron Gardenhire.

After John Ryan Murphy took closer Glen Perkins deep, Minnesota’s front office decided they must have the Yankees catcher, and thus ended Hicks’s time with the Twins. He went on to have some strong seasons in New York, and ultimately, he tallied a 110 OPS+ from 2017-2022. His 120 OPS+ for the Yankees from 2017-2020 helped him earn a $70-million deal in 2019, but injuries and fading performance had him being pushed out.

Resurfacing with the Baltimore Orioles last season. Hicks played in 65 games and posted an .806 OPS, good for a 127 OPS+. He once again displayed a strong ability to get on base, and the .275 batting average was a new high-water mark for his career. Playing all three outfield positions for Brandon Hyde’s club, Hicks proved to be a valuable member of a great team with young talent such as Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson.

Despite having been released by the Yankees and paid to not play for them, it’s plausible that Hicks earned himself a new major-league deal through his production in Baltimore. Expecting him to be a consistent regular at this point of his career is probably unlikely, but as a rotational type to spell Buxton, Minnesota could do much worse.

Last season, Hicks destroyed left-handed pitchers to the tune of a .970 OPS. He scuffled mightily against righties, but the Twins' current center fielder has seen success against same-handed pitchers. Despite Hicks being a switch-hitter, it could make sense for him to play only when soutpaws are on the bump.

New York paid Hicks nearly $30 million simply to go away, and that could make his level of affordability for 2024 even more straightforward. There is likely to be enough interest to secure a 40-man roster spot for Hicks, but any team who signs him will only have to pay him a prorated share of the league-minimum salary while he's on the roster. The Yankees will keep paying the remainder of his salary from that deal, which runs through 2025.

This isn’t the same regime that drafted Hicks, and it’s not the same group that he had to mature with either. He’d provide some veteran perspective, and if the Twins could get the production he brought to Baltimore, that would be a great outcome for all parties involved.

What do you think of bringing Hicks back as a depth piece for the roster? Sound off in the comments.