Aaron Hicks (OF, NYY) - Week 4 Waiver Wire Pickups

Chris Zolli profiles outfielder Aaron Hicks as a waiver wire pickup and add in Week 4 of the 2018 MLB season as he continues to get back into the lineup.

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues

OWNED IN: 40% of Leagues

ANALYSIS: New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks is back in the Yankees lineup and his starting role in the Yankees outfield makes him a good fantasy option. Hicks was out of the lineup with an oblique injury, but is back as the starter in center field for the Yankees and even has a two-homer game under his belt (last Friday against the Tigers).

A big part of the change in Hicks' game last season (where he posted career bests in basically every statistic) was his plate discipline (14.1% walk rate). That number has jumped to 20% in a small sample this season and, if he can continue to keep his walk rate in the 15+% range while keeping his hard hit ball rate near his 30.8% rate that he was at in 2017, he will continue to produce. There is also a potential for stolen bases as well, as Hicks stole 10 bases for the Yankees last season and stole as many as 32 bases in the minor leagues (2012 while in Double-A for the Twins).

Outfield is a deep position, but Hicks' potential for power and speed in a Yankees' lineup that has the potential to score five runs in every game is too much to pass by. He may not be a great option as a starting outfielder in all formats, but he should be owned in all leagues, either as an OF4 or a bench player.