Hankins committed to Vanderbilt University to play college baseball.[4] He was drafted 35th overall by the Cleveland Indians in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.[5] After the draft, Hankins signed to play baseball at Chipola College.[6] However, he eventually signed with Cleveland rather than attend college.[7]
Hankins made his professional debut with the rookie–level Arizona League Indians, pitching three innings.[8] He began 2019 with the Low–A Mahoning Valley Scrappers before being promoted to the Single–A Lake County Captains in August.[9] Over 14 games (13 starts) between the two clubs, he pitched to a 0–3 record with a 2.55 ERA, striking out 71 over sixty innings.[10]
Hankins did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] He missed all of the 2021 and 2022 seasons (aside from one rehab appearance for the Arizona Complex League Guardians in 2022) after undergoing Tommy John surgery.[12] Hankins returned in 2023 with the High–A Lake County Captains, compiling a 1–7 record and 4.70 ERA with 50 strikeouts across 15 starts.[13]
Hankins was released by the Guardians organization on July 20, 2024, having pitched in only one game in the 2024 season for the Double-A Akron RubberDucks due to time spent on the injured list. Hankins' time in the Guardians' organization concluded with him having made only 32 appearances in his seven-year minor league career.[14]
On August 2, 2024, Hankins signed with the Gary SouthShore RailCats of the American Association of Professional Baseball.[15] In four games (three starts) for Gary, Hankins struggled to an 0-2 record and 9.82 ERA with 17 strikeouts over 11 innings of work.
In 2025, Hankins returned for a second season with the RailCats. He did not appear in a game in 2025.
