For the first time in program history, Arkansas State will have a player appear in the Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series championship with Tampa Bay Rays catcher Liam Hicks.

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Collegiate beginnings

After traveling to the United States from Canada to begin his baseball career, his first stop along the way to his eventual World Series destination was at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri.

Hicks made a name for himself at the Missouri junior college, hitting 21 home runs and driving in 87 runs over two seasons in 2018-2019. A-State had him on its radar, and after a stellar sophomore year, the Red Wolves gave him the chance to move up to Division I.

During his visit to A-State, Hicks immediately noted the culture between the players and coaching staff, citing it as one reason he committed to the Red Wolves.

“I just really bonded with them over my visit,” Hicks said. “I had a great time and felt like it was a good fit for me.”

A-State offered him plenty of playing time, which helped sway him to commit to the program in 2020. Even with shortened seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a senior-year injury, Hicks made a major impact for the Red Wolves during his two seasons in Jonesboro.

In 59 games for A-State, Hicks hit 11 home runs and drove in 40 runs, delivering a solid performance in every opportunity. By the end of his collegiate career, he hit .340 and cracked A-State’s top ten in all-time batting average, cementing his place in the program’s history books.

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Welcome to the big leagues

When it came time for Hicks to make his way to MLB, his decorated resume from both Mineral Area and A-State was enough for the Texas Rangers to select him in the ninth round of the 2021 draft. He started in the minor leagues, but slowly built his professional career with the playing time he got.

“I started off in the minor leagues not being a guy that played every day,” Hicks said. “I was trying to stay ready and take advantage when I got those opportunities.”

His patience and work eventually paid off at the 2023 Arizona Fall League, where his consistent at-bat approach in college translated to the pros as he led all players in batting average at .449 and ranked third overall in hits with 31.

Hicks’ performance there garnered interest from other MLB teams, and the Miami Marlins eventually picked him up. In South Beach, he finally got his moment to live out every kid’s dream and made his MLB debut in 2025. He took advantage of his first year as a pro, making his presence known on the team, by playing in 119 games, slamming 6 home runs and driving in 45 RBIs.

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The eventful breakout year

Going into his second year, Hicks faced big changes at both the professional and personal levels.

Despite being out of the Marlins’ opening-day starting lineup, he still became a major component of the starter core as the season progressed, becoming their main catcher. His value continued to rise until it eventually began to pique interest in the trade market.

As the 2026 trade deadline approached, the Tampa Bay Rays grasped the chance to boost their at-bat power with a consistent hitter and traded for Hicks on Aug. 3.

While trades can be a rocky shift for players, Hicks saw a great opportunity to further push his career forward.

“Luckily, I got traded to a team that was already in first place in their division with a bunch of really good guys in the clubhouse, so it made the transition really easy,” Hicks said.

By providing support with batting, Hicks contributed to a deep postseason run that has now led to a World Series appearance.

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The chance to make it two rings

While his professional journey continues on an upward trajectory, Hicks also reached a major life milestone in January: his engagement to his fiancée Kirsten.

Since his minor league years, Kirsten has supported everything Hicks has done. From making long trips to his games to moving when his career moved to another team, Hicks praises her for all the hard work she does to cheer him on and for relieving the stress of the pros.

“It’s really cool to look back at all of that now (that I’m in) the big leagues,” Hicks said. “It’s really nice to come back and be able to put baseball away and have her to hang out with and get your mind off of the game.”

While chasing a World Series ring, Hicks planned for a different kind of ring so he could celebrate both accordingly when the time comes.

“We’re not getting married til next year, so we’ve had a lot of time to settle in and plan things out,” Hicks said. “It would be a little more stressful if we were getting married this offseason with the World Series, but luckily, we have another year.”

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The Jonesboro connection

Even in the face of the most prestigious competition in baseball, Hicks takes time to look back on the community he spent his final college years with. As A-State and Jonesboro promote and celebrate his success, he takes their support as a badge of honor.

“(Kirsten) will show me all the articles and stuff that they post, so it’s really good motivation seeing that I still have people that are cheering me on,” Hicks said.

Hicks and Kirsten also make a yearly trip to Jonesboro to visit her family and feel the support when he returns, especially from A-State.

“A-State’s always been really good with allowing me to come back, use the facilities, and really showcase that they’re proud of me,” Hicks said.

When it comes to giving back to his support system in Arkansas, Hicks wants to eventually return and share the same level of support he received from the community.

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Lessons from Tomlinson Stadium

From A-State to one of the biggest stages in American sports, Hicks’ time as a member of the Red Wolves taught him vital character skills he still uses as a professional in MLB.

One moment that taught Hicks a valuable lesson for his future career came during his senior-year injury. While being injured, his drive to better himself reminded him of the importance of each day he is physically able to put in work.

“I (learned to) never take things for granted,” Hicks said. “I did a really good job in college of doing a little bit every day to get better and eventually it adds up to becoming the player you are in the present day.”

To keep true to his daily routine of improvement, Hicks’ teammates provided a source of inspiration, helping him stay on track with his training and serving as part of his excellent support system.

“It’s really cool to have those guys supporting me now,” Hicks said. “We would stay late after practice and hit extra. It really pushed me to become a better player.”

Although his priorities are focused on a bigger stage than the city of Jonesboro, Hicks has shown that no matter where his MLB journey takes him, he continues to cherish his ties to this community and the university where his collegiate career took off.

“I wouldn’t be here (today) if I wasn’t able to play (at A-State) and get that experience,” Hicks said.

Categories: Sports