Rays acquire catcher Liam Hicks from Marlins in three-player deal

The Tampa Bay Rays have completed a trade with the Miami Marlins, sending catcher/first baseman Liam Hicks to the Rays in exchange for outfielders Adrian Santana and Jacob Kisting, along with former first-round draft pick Brayden Taylor. Hicks, who posted a .282/.363/.432 slash line with 14 home runs in 409 plate appearances this season, is expected to provide a long-term solution behind the plate for a club that has rotated through several catchers in recent years.

"Hicks should provide an offensive upgrade for a top-heavy Tampa Bay lineup," a Rays spokesperson said.

The Rays have previously acquired catcher Nick Fortes from Miami, who is currently hitting .278 with four homers in 83 games. Backup catcher Hunter Feduccia has struggled and may be reassigned to Triple-A.

Hicks is noted for his plate discipline, walking 9.8% of the time while striking out only 9.5%, making him one of the few hitters with more walks than strikeouts among players with at least 400 plate appearances. Analysts note that his power numbers are a career high and that his exit velocity and hard-contact rates remain below league averages, raising questions about the sustainability of his home-run production.

Miami, which has a strong catching prospect in Joe Mack, was willing to move Hicks despite being within a game and a half of a wild-card position.