Skip to main content
Mississippi State

Rice Ace Davion Hickson set to transfer to Mississippi State

3rupauk8_400x400by: Robbie Faulk06/30/25RobbieFaulkOn3
davion hickson
Photo by Mississippi State Athletics

One of the top available pitchers in the transfer portal is off the market and headed to Starkville.

Following a weekend visit to Mississippi State, Rice RHP Davion Hickson has announced he will be a Diamond Dawg. He comes to Starkville after putting together an All-Conference season with the Owls as the team’s top arm.

The former Florida State pitcher spent his last two seasons with the Owls and produced some strong results. As a sophomore, Hickson worked as the team’s closer and was 3-2 in 27 appearances with a 3.62 ERA and six saves. Hickson threw 54.2 innings, gave up 33 walks and struck out 64 batters.

This season, Hickson slid into the Ace role for the Owls and was stellar. Despite the 2-7 record, Hickson had a 3.82 ERA and was named Second-Team All-AAC. He threw 73.0 innings, gave up 59 hits, 31 earned runs and 35 walks while striking out 90 batters and holding teams to a batting average of .220.

In a loss to State in Houston earlier in the year, Hickson started the game and pitched 4.2 innings giving up four hits, three walks and four runs with six strikeouts. He threw at least 7.1 innings in the final four starts of the year and surrendered four runs or less in every start. His best appearances came in a win over Charlotte in which he threw a complete-game shutout with just one hit and three walks surrendered while striking out 10 batters.

The 6’2, 210-pounder is a native of Florida and played his high school baseball at IMG Academy and Perfect Game rated him as the No. 210 prospect in the country. During his senior season, Hickson had 30 strikeouts in 30.2 innings and had a 1.60 ERA.

He pitched in inning in his only season at FSU in 2023 and stuck out a batter without allowing a hit or a run against Virginia.

The Diamond Dawgs will have to beat out the draft for Hickson’s services, however, and he will be a risk. This season, Hickson’s fastball touched 97 mph and his changeup had a swing and miss rate over 50% while his slider has also been a problem for opposing hitters.

Hickson is the 14th player that Brian O’Connor has landed out of the transfer portal in the coach’s first offseason with the team. Pitching coach Justin Parker has been a busy man as well as he has now landed seven pitchers in the portal class.

You may also like