PORTLAND, Ore. --- First baseman Mike Hicks, who spent his freshman season at Yavapai College in Arizona, is transferring to the University of Portland and will have three years of eligibility remaining with the Pilots, announced head coach Geoff Loomis. Hicks originally hails from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and was drafted out of high school by the New York Yankees.
 
"Michael is a left-handed hitting first baseman with great size, agility around the bag, and gap-to-gap power," Loomis said. "I project him to be a middle of the order hitter for us."
 
In his one season with the Roughriders, the 6-foot-6 Hicks hit .349. He also belted a home run and knocked in 14 RBI's.
 
Previously, Hicks starred at Coeur d'Alene High School, garnering interest from the Yankees. He hit .400 in 2015 with eight homers and 31 RBI's en route to First Team All-State and First Team All-Inland Empire League honors. Hicks was also named to the All-USA Idaho baseball team in 2014 as a junior. The Yankees took Hicks in the 27th round of the 2015 amateur draft before he decided to play collegiately instead.