Brewer Hicklen

Charles Brewer Hicklen (born February 9, 1996) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Kansas City Royals organization. The Royals selected Hicklen in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2022.

Brewer Hicklen
Hicklen with the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2022
Kansas City Royals
Outfielder
Born: (1996-02-09) February 9, 1996
Huntsville, Alabama
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 26, 2022, for the Kansas City Royals
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.000
Home runs0
Runs batted in0
Teams

Amateur career

Hicklen graduated from Huntsville High School in Huntsville, Alabama. He played baseball as an outfielder and football as a quarterback.[1]

Hicklen committed to attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), hoping to play college baseball and college football for the UAB Blazers.[2] He played as a wide receiver for the football team until UAB ended its football program in December 2014.[3] He looked for other football opportunities, and while waiting for scholarship offers, his baseball offer from UAB was revoked. He agreed to walk on to the baseball team.[4] He began to focus exclusively on baseball. He took a redshirt for the baseball team in 2015. In 2016, he batted .289 with three home runs, 21 runs batted in (RBIs), and 22 stolen bases. When the football team was resurrected in 2016, he rejoined the team.[1]

Professional career

The Kansas City Royals selected Hicklen in the seventh round, with the 210th overall selection, of the 2017 MLB draft.[5][6] He became the highest-selected player from UAB in the MLB draft.[6][lower-alpha 1] After not making an Opening Day roster for a minor league team in Kansas City's farm system in 2018, he was assigned to the Lexington Legends of the Class A South Atlantic League in April and was promoted to the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League in July.[8] His .307 batting average and 29 stolen bases with Lexington led the team.[9] Hicklen returned to Wilmington for the 2019 season.[3] The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]

Hicklen played for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of Double-A South in 2021.[11] He began the 2022 season with the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. He batted .266 with five home runs, 24 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 42 games.[12] The Royals promoted Hicklen to the major leagues on May 26;[13] he made his major league debut that night as the starting center fielder.[12] He returned to the minor leagues on May 31 when Kyle Isbel was activated.[14] Hicklen returned to the major leagues on July 14.[15] He was returned to the minors on July 18. In the minor leagues in 2022, he batted .248/.348/.502 in 480 at bats, and was third in the minor leagues with 202 strikeouts.[16]

Personal life

During the offseasons, Hicklen hosts an annual baseball camp for children at an Alabama high school.[17][18][19]

Notes
  1. In the 2019 MLB draft, Graham Ashcraft was selected out of UAB in the sixth round.[7]

References
  1. "UAB's Brewer Hicklen making his mark as a two-sport athlete". al.com. August 21, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  2. "Huntsville catcher Brewer Hicklen signs with UAB". al.com. March 19, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  3. "How Royals prospect Brewer Hicklen found success in High-A". The Kansas City Star. June 27, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  4. Alexander, Wilson (June 13, 2017). "Hicklen goes from UAB walk-on to KC draftee". MLB.com. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  5. Dykstra, Sam (September 13, 2019). "Toolshed: Kansas City Royals' Brewer Hicklen more than raw talent". MiLB.com. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  6. "UAB outfielder Brewer Hicklen drafted by Kansas City Royals, makes history". al.com. June 13, 2017. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  7. Stephenson, Creg (June 4, 2019). "UAB pitcher Graham Ashcraft selected in 6th round of MLB draft". AL.com. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  8. "Royals prospect Brewer Hicklen starting to find a place". The Kansas City Star. July 21, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  9. "Legends in playoffs for 1st time in 12 years". Lexington Herald-Leader. September 5, 2018. p. B6. Retrieved June 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Taking inventory of Royals prospects ahead of the MLB Draft". The Kansas City Star. June 6, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  11. "Huntsville native Brewer Hicklen returns to the Rocket City to host local baseball camp". rocketcitynow.com. November 14, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  12. "Brewer Hicklen makes first start for Kansas City Royals as two go on injured list". The Kansas City Star. May 26, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  13. "Royals bring up Hicklen, Coleman". The Kansas City Star. May 26, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  14. Rogers, Anne (May 31, 2022). "How prospect Hicklen masters mental game". MLB.com. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  15. "Here's what the Royals' new additions offer". MLB.com.
  17. "Huntsville native Brewer Hicklen brings baseball camp to Bob Jones HS". WHNT.com. November 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  18. "Huntsville native Brewer Hicklen returns to the Rocket City to host local baseball camp". rocketcitynow.com. November 14, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  19. "MLB youth camp hosted by Kansas City Royals' Brewer Hicklen, Tyler Tolbert coming to Birmingham in January". The Trussville Tribune. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
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