JUPITER, Fla. — However this spring unfurls for him and whatever role suits him at the end of it, former closer and sometime starter Jordan Hicks knows what awaits him in the season.

“This is a defining year, I feel like,” Hicks said.

The 26-year-old right-hander opened last season as a starter, ended it in the bullpen, and spent it chasing a career high in innings set way back in his rookie season. He fell short due to shoulder soreness. By November, he’ll end this season as one of the youngest free agents in the class but with far fewer than 300 major-league innings in his career. Three years after collecting 14 saves for the Cardinals, he made eight starts, and this year, he enters spring in between those roles, neither starting nor finishing.

Well, yet.

“I had the most success closing or being an eighth-inning, someone in the backend bullpen,” Hicks said. “That was my biggest success. I also feel like I didn’t get that full opportunity as a starter. That is the most fun I’ve had playing baseball was as a starter in the minor leagues. You’re talking the difference between six, seven innings and then only the ninth inning. Closer is a close second.”

Hicks added 10 pounds of weight this offseason to return to the size he felt most comfortable on the mound, and in conversations with his trainers, he targeted an early-season weight of 215 pounds to 220 pounds. The power reliever has found it difficult to add weight during the season, so he wanted to come into camp carrying more, and the result has been more comfortable on the mound and more durable recovering from throws.

“Regardless of what role it is,” he said, “this is probably best for my body.”

With some shoulder concern at the start of camp last year, Hicks had a deliberate throwing program until it was the Cardinals that threw a curve: They announced he would open the season as the fifth starter, building innings on the job. In a stretch of seven consecutive starts, he built his innings total to a season-best five. He went 0-4 in those games with a 5.84 ERA and notably struggled with walks, allowing 18 to 24 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings. He returned to relief and went on a tear, slowed only by neck and shoulder stiffness.

In his final 26 innings, all in relief, he struck out 29 and walked only 11.

“I think because of what he’s capable of doing and how he lowered his walk rate dramatically toward the end, there’s a fit for him in a couple of different spots,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “Am I going to sit here and say he’s our seventh-inning guy or the guy you bring in strictly to get a groundball? No. I think as we get further into camp these guys will define how they’re used this season. I could see he’s going to get some leverage for sure.”

The early indicators from the Cardinals and their camp schedule are that Hicks will be targeted for a relief role. Even Marmol’s comments Thursday hinted at that.

It took an unexpected series of events — injuries and inconsistent performance from others — to open a rotation spot to Hicks a year ago. This year, the Cardinals are more intrigued by stockpiling flame-throwers in the bullpen. Wilking Rodriguez, a Rule 5 pick from the Yankees, throws 100 mph. Closer Ryan Helsley had the fastest pitch (104.2 mph) and fastest strike (104.0 mph) this past season, and right behind him with the pitch he surpassed is Hicks (103.7 mph).

Hicks had a word for what back-to-back 104-mph relievers would be.

“Sick,” he said.

In front of his locker early Thursday morning, Hicks described how he’s drawing on positives from previous seasons, even ones interrupted by surgery or the 2020 season he did not play due to a pre-existing condition, his diabetes. He called it “putting those pieces together, the success pieces.” It comes as his career nears an inflection point — the chance to hit the open market and chase not only the jackpot of free agency but also the choice.

He can gear his search for a team open to giving him a chance to start, though he said a season of high-leverage and late-game spots will focus the lens for any interested teams.

The way he hopes they see him can only come in October.

“I want to go win a ring this year,” Hicks said. “I think that’s my biggest focus. I want a ring. I want to compete with a winning ballclub, and that’s what we’ve been since I’ve been here. Hopefully, we push it a little further to go win a ring. And then we can start thinking about those other things.”

Adam Wainwright led off the Cardinals’ first rounds of live batting practice, and he drew NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt and the third-highest vote-getter for the MVP Nolan Arenado. Wainwright and Jake Woodford threw about 20 pitches in an outing meant to mimic an inning and used as the workout bridged between bullpens and games. … Outfielder Lars Nootbaar received a hand-painted bat decorated with cherry blossoms and imagery of Japan’s flag from manufacturer Overfly Sports. He’ll use the bat in batting practice for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic. A second one is being made for him so he can hang it as artwork. … The Cardinals continue to explore conversations with companies interested in advertising on their jersey this season. There is no deadline for an agreement, and the club expects at some point in the near future to have an advertisement patch on their uniforms for the first time.