Cardinals manager Mike Matheny and pitching Mike Maddux had been careful with Hicks’ workload this season, but they clearly thought the reward outweighed the risk while having Hicks, 21, throw on three consecutive days for the first time in his brief career.
There aren’t many folks in baseball like Hicks, who can routinely hit 102 mph on the radar gun with enough pop to hit 105 mph occasionally. It would be unfair to expect Helsley to play in that orbit, but he can light up the radar gun if he moves to the bullpen.
“We feel he’s a little bit of the similar ilk as Jordan Hicks, meaning that when you look at (Helsley) used as a starter his velocity is mid-to-upper 90s, touches 97-98 from time to time,” Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said.