105.5 mph?! Yankees’ Aaron Hicks has wowed with his arm before

1:33 PM ET

Yankees left fielder Aaron Hicks made headlines by making the fastest outfield throw ever recorded on Wednesday night — a 105.5 mph rocket to get the A’s Danny Valencia at home plate — but it’s not the first time he has drawn attention with his arm. Our own Keith Law saw Hicks’ arm on display dating back to when Hicks was a skinny 16-year-old at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California. Here are some of Law’s scouting reports from Hicks’ days as a top pitching and outfield prospect, who was selected as an outfielder by the Twins with the No. 14 pick in the 2008 MLB draft and became a top prospect in Minnesota’s farm system.

Aug. 14, 2006: Two rising [high-school] juniors who earned some attention at the Area Codes were outfielders Isaac Galloway (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and Aaron Hicks (Long Beach, Calif.). Galloway’s body is more developed than the typical 16-year-old’s, and he already flashes some raw power. He has a great arm and will probably end up in right, as he’s a below-average runner. Hicks is a little more raw than Galloway but has an even better arm and a good, simple swing with some power potential of his own.

Aug. 10, 2007: Hicks is a superstar athlete, but his play this week was very disappointing. His bat is quick, but his swing has gotten longer since last year, and he looked like he was trying to hit every pitch 500 feet. He has easy power in his swing if he concentrates on centering, but that wasn’t his game plan. He’s a good defensive outfielder with the best outfield arm here — he’s up to 97 mph on the mound but didn’t pitch this week. He could easily go in the top 10 picks next year as a hitter if he turns it around, but if not, he’ll go in the first round as a pitcher instead.

Aug. 12, 2007: didn’t pitch well at all, walking two batters and throwing two wild pitches with men on third base, but his arm is lightning quick, and he threw an easy 91-93 mph. He’s a better prospect as a hitter, but given that he’s thrown up to 97 mph in the past and that this year’s high school pitching crop isn’t strong, he’ll be considered as a pitcher as well.

May 6, 2008: Hicks probably will be selected as a toolsy outfielder with a plus arm and big raw power, but he’s also a …

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