You’ve NEVER seen a throw like this. But first, some background.

Aaron Hicks is a case study in “don’t lose hope”. The 23 year old center fielder was touted as the next big thing for the Minnesota Twins when he rocketed through their farm system to help replace the strong offensive and defensive presence(s) of Denard Span and Ben Revere. Both outfielders (and top-of-the-lineup hitters) were traded in the offseason, leaving a void that Hicks was relegated to fill.

But from the view of May 1, Hicks elicited more #smh than elation. His batting average leading off for the Twins at the beginning of the season, was a miserable .047 - not exactly a jumpstart to the Twins struggling offense. Manager Ron Gardenhire made some adjustments including dropping him down in the lineup, but his initial start seemed too terrible for hope of recovery.

But Gardenhire never lost faith in the rookie, and some spectacular plays are bringing the rest of Twins Territory around. Let’s take a look at some of his insane defense this year:

1. Golden Glove-worthy diving catch (4/27/13):

2. Hicks robs Carlos Gomez at the wall (5/28/13):

3. Game-saving catch to force extra-extra innings (7/10/13):

In case you were wondering, Hicks has now robbed hitters of four home runs this year, and in several of those games he has homered himself. But while skeptics may still hold out on whether or not Hicks will live up to the expectations set for him, there is no doubt that he belongs in center field. (It’s worth noting that his batting average over the past month is hovering around .275, which indicates his offense is reaching back up to match his defense).

As final proof, here is the incredible clip of his throw last night, in which Hicks makes an unbelievable throw from the warning track to third base in motion, catching Yankees player Vernon Wells as he tried for three. Enjoy, and remember, never give up hope, because even the worst starts can give way to plays like this: