“Make them believe.” These words were not only spoken by DJ Hicks, but he lives by them every day. So much so, he even incorporates “MTB” into his twitter handle. So what separates this first baseman from the others?
Hicks’ lung collapsed in 2009, and he was hospitalized for 16 days. He wasn’t sure he would ever play again. “I was hooked up to tubes, and I couldn’t get out of bed” said Hicks. “There are so many more struggles than baseball, you always have to push past them.”
The 23 year-old was selected in the 17th round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Minnesota Twins. He is currently playing for the Fort Myers Miracle (Class A Advanced Florida State League). He received the call over a week ago of his promotion. “I was excited, it was good to be back in my home state, and I’m only a couple hours away from home.” Hicks is batting .296 with 15 bombs, 93 RBIs, and a .360 OBP.
In addition to his excellence on the field, DJ maintains an excellence off the field as well. He’s helped a UCF (Hicks’ former school) fan at her attempts at the MLB Fan Cave. “He’s an amazing baseball player, a true team player who is extremely passionate and I can’t wait to see him flourish in his career,” Jamie Kirsch said of Hicks. “He helped me with retweeting some of my tweets and getting awareness.” Kirsch adores Hicks and his efforts to help her with her MLB experience.
Hicks is blessed with a strong foundation of support around him. “My agent is one of my role models, he’s more than about baseball, he’s more about life.” He also adds he looks up to his sister for how hard she works as a mother, and his brother-in-law in how he owns his own business, and senses the struggles he goes through. He is also an uncle to an adorable niece who he was happy to announce is cancer free after being diagnosed.
Hicks has a bright future both on and off the field, there’s no question about that. Especially when it comes to a man who loves working with kids, and would give the exact same advice he was given when he was a kid.
“Anything is possible, you’re definitely going to hit obstacles, and you will be able to get through them if you stay the same.”