Michael Darrell-Hicks Bio
Michael Brian Darrell-Hicks (born November 13, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He previously played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Angels and signed with the Angels as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He made his major league debut in 2025 after several seasons in the minor leagues.
Early Life and Background
Michael Brian Darrell-Hicks was born on November 13, 1997, and grew up in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he attended South Warren High School. He graduated from South Warren in 2016, completing his high school years in the same community where he first developed his interest in baseball. His time at South Warren helped shape his early identity as a pitcher and laid the groundwork for a college career.
Following high school, Darrell-Hicks enrolled at Western Kentucky University, where he played college baseball for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. He spent three seasons with the Hilltoppers, gaining experience as a pitcher in the college ranks and continuing to develop his command on the mound. His college tenure at Western Kentucky provided a steady platform for his growth as a prospect.
Seeking a new opportunity, Darrell-Hicks transferred to Jacksonville University, where he played one season for the Jacksonville Dolphins. The move broadened his college exposure and gave him additional innings as he prepared for the next stage of his career. After his senior collegiate season, he entered professional baseball without going through the annual MLB Draft.
Path to Baseball
Darrell-Hicks built his path to professional baseball through a traditional college route, beginning at Western Kentucky University and finishing at Jacksonville University. Across those programs, he developed the pitching foundation that would eventually attract the attention of a major league organization. His college years were marked by steady progression rather than a single breakthrough moment.
After completing his college career, Darrell-Hicks signed with the Los Angeles Angels as an undrafted free agent on July 26, 2022. That signing marked his official entry into the minor leagues and began a multi-year climb toward the major leagues. His route through the Angels system reflected the patience required of undrafted pitchers aiming for the highest level of the sport.
Michael Darrell-Hicks Career
Early Career (2022–2024)
After signing with the Los Angeles Angels organization in 2022, Darrell-Hicks began his professional career in the minor leagues. He spent a majority of the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, working as a relief pitcher who occasionally started. Across those two seasons with Rocket City, he posted a 6–7 record, pitching 53 and 2/3 innings in 33 games, including three starts, while striking out 58 batters and walking 13.
His minor league workload during this stretch was significant, with multiple innings appearances that helped him adjust to professional hitters. The 2024 campaign concluded without a major league call-up, but it positioned him for a chance heading into the next spring. Heading into 2025, Darrell-Hicks was assigned to the Salt Lake Bees to open the season.
Los Angeles Angels Era (2025)
Darrell-Hicks began the 2025 season on the roster of the Salt Lake Bees before earning a major league opportunity. On April 6, 2025, he was promoted to the major leagues for the first time, joining the Angels as a bullpen option. Four days later, on April 11, he made his MLB debut against the Houston Astros, a milestone that capped his journey from undrafted free agent to the big leagues.
In six appearances for Los Angeles, Darrell-Hicks struggled to a 9.39 ERA, recording six strikeouts and one win across 7 and 2/3 innings pitched. Despite the rough statistical line, the debut season delivered the major league experience he had worked toward since 2022. His time with the Angels ended on June 8, 2025, when he was designated for assignment following the acquisition of LaMonte Wade Jr.
Pittsburgh Pirates Era (2025–Present)
On June 13, 2025, Darrell-Hicks was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving him a fresh start within a new organization. He made one scoreless appearance for Pittsburgh, recording two strikeouts over two innings pitched and showing the kind of efficiency he had flashed in the minors. The brief stint with the Pirates offered a glimpse of how he might fit into their bullpen plans.
Darrell-Hicks was designated for assignment by the Pirates on November 6, 2025, as the team reshaped its roster. On November 10, he cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, keeping him within the Pittsburgh system. The move set the stage for his continued development heading into the next year.
Notable Events and Milestones
Darrell-Hicks’s most significant career milestone came on April 11, 2025, when he made his MLB debut against the Houston Astros, three years after signing as an undrafted free agent. He also recorded his first major league win during his six appearances with the Angels that season. His first scoreless outing with the Pittsburgh Pirates further underlined the consistency that defined his 2025 campaign.
Michael Darrell-Hicks Career Wins
Michael Brian Darrell-Hicks has recorded one verified major league win, earned during his 2025 stint with the Los Angeles Angels. The win came as part of his first extended stay in the big leagues and represented the product of his multi-year development in the Angels minor league system. That single major league victory, paired with his minor league track record, marks the foundation of his professional win total.
Michael Darrell-Hicks Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Michael Brian Darrell-Hicks was raised in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a community known for its strong high school sports culture. He attended South Warren High School, where he completed his graduation in 2016. Public details about his parents and broader family are not available in verified sources.
2025 Season Performance
Michael Brian Darrell-Hicks’s 2025 season marked his first taste of Major League Baseball, beginning with his promotion to the Los Angeles Angels on April 6 and his debut on April 11 against the Houston Astros. Across six appearances with the Angels, he posted a 9.39 ERA with six strikeouts and one win in 7 and 2/3 innings, a statistical line that reflected the typical adjustment curve for a young pitcher. His season also included a scoreless relief appearance after joining the Pittsburgh Pirates in mid-June.
The middle of the season brought a change of scenery when the Angels designated him for assignment on June 8, 2025, following their acquisition of LaMonte Wade Jr. Five days later, on June 13, the Pittsburgh Pirates claimed him off waivers, offering a new opportunity. In his lone appearance for Pittsburgh, he recorded two strikeouts across two scoreless innings, a small but encouraging sample of his potential role within the organization.
The offseason brought further movement, as the Pirates designated Darrell-Hicks for assignment on November 6, 2025, before he cleared waivers on November 10 and was sent outright to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. That transaction kept him in the Pittsburgh system heading into the next year, providing a clear path back to the major leagues. His 2025 campaign, although statistically uneven, established his first major league footprint and positioned him for continued development.