Flamethrower Jordan Hicks shouts out fan Nathan Patterson, who signed contract with A's

Nathan Patterson is the talk of the baseball world after a video of him throwing a 96-mph pitch led to the Oakland Athletics signing the 23-year-old to a professional contract, and he has a new high-profile admirer.

St. Louis Cardinals closer Jordan Hicks, the hardest thrower in the majors, replied to the original tweet with video of Patterson's pitch, saying "Velo Talks."

Hicks, who recently  Tommy John surgery, has thrown the 21 fastest pitches recorded this season and averages 101.1 mph on his sinker.

Patterson told MLB.com he hadn't thrown "for a few years" before last August, and admitted that he "didn't really have a good arm" in his high school days.