Astros Prospect Earns Distinguished Pitcher of the Year Award at Arizona Fall League

This Houston Astros prospect has delivered some stunning results in the Arizona Fall League.

Apr 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Astros hat and glove in the dugout during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Arizona Fall League has been showcasing some serious talent from Houston Astros prospects this year. With the AFL now coming to a close, awards are flooding out of the gates toward deserving players. Of course, some players stood out more than others, and one of them happens to be an Astros prospect.

Houston's right-hander James Hicks has been shining on the mound and has left a long-lasting impression on those who have had the opportunity to watch him pitch. To recognize his progress and pure talent that he showcased, he has received quite an honor at the Arizona Fall League this year.

James Hicks Named AFL Pitcher of the Year

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Hicks has been nothing short of a fierce competitor in the Arizona Fall League this season. The young right-handed pitcher was overall pick No. 404 in the 13th round of the 2023 MLB draft with the Astros. Throughout 2025, he spent his time developing in the minors, recording a 5.59 ERA in 46.2 innings pitched across 11 games, striking out 46 hitters.

As Houston's No. 26 prospect, Hicks knew he had some proving to do, and he wasn't hesitant to get right to work. During his time in the AFL, he posted 19 strikeouts over 14 scoreless innings while pitching for the Scottsdale Scorpions, securing a 0.00 ERA, 0.57 WHIP and a .130 batting average along the way. As a result, he has now been named the AFL Pitcher of the Year — a massive milestone in his baseball career.

The Astros No. 26 prospect posted 19 strikeouts over 14 scoreless innings pitched for Scottsdale. His 0.00 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, and .130 batting average against were the best among all qualified pitchers.

— MLB's Arizona Fall League (@MLBazFallLeague) November 14, 2025

"James has done a tremendous job over the last year plus of continuing to develop quality secondary pitches," Astros' assistant general manager Gavin Dickey stated, per Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. "His baseline ability to throw strikes and pitchability have always been present, but now he's started to increase the swing and miss both in and out of the zone. Given his competitiveness, feel to pitch and added bat-missing weapons, he is on track to becoming a viable starting pitcher option for us at the Major League level."

With Hicks having plenty of time to grow as a player and being able to carve out what has the potential to be an incredible career in the Major Leagues, heads are starting to turn toward the 24-year-old. His athletic journey has been far from seamless, but if things continue down this path, the Astros could have a young star on their hands.

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