Throughout the entire 2018 season, only three times did a batter hit the ball on the barrel – categorically, per the stat site Baseball Savant – against Cardinals pitcher Jordan Hicks.
Hicks had 216 “batted ball experiences” (BBE) against him during his rookie campaign, per the site. So only 1.4 percent of his BBEs were barreled.
“You look back last year, and you can almost name the balls that were hit hard off Jordan Hicks last year,” an astounded Mike Shildt, the Cards manager, said here at spring training.
May 31, 2018: The Pirates' Gregory Polanco.