Kyle Hendricks Bio
Kyle Christian Hendricks (born December 7, 1989) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels. He made his MLB debut in 2014 with the Cubs and led MLB in earned run average (ERA) in 2016, winning the World Series that same year. Hendricks announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on November 10, 2025, and later joined the front office of the Detroit Tigers as a special assistant focused on pitching development.
Across his MLB career, Hendricks compiled a 105–91 win–loss record with a 3.79 ERA and 1,373 strikeouts. Known to teammates and fans as “The Professor,” he became one of the most respected control pitchers of his generation.
Early Life and Background
Kyle Christian Hendricks was born on December 7, 1989, in San Juan Capistrano, California. He grew up in the same community and attended Capistrano Valley High School in nearby Mission Viejo. As a young athlete in Southern California, Hendricks came from a sports-minded family. His father, John Hendricks, is a golf professional, and his mother, Ann Marie Hendricks, works as a medical management consultant. The combination of a structured athletic household and access to year-round California competition helped shape his early development as a pitcher.
Although the Los Angeles Angels selected Hendricks in the 39th round of the 2008 MLB draft, he did not sign with the club. Instead, he chose to honor his commitment to a four-year college education. That decision set the course for the rest of his career, pairing elite academic preparation with high-level amateur competition.
Path to Professional Baseball
Hendricks enrolled at Dartmouth College, an Ivy League school in Hanover, New Hampshire, where he played college baseball for the Dartmouth Big Green under head coach Bob Whalen. He became a member of the Beta Alpha Omega fraternity and spent his summers sharpening his craft. In 2010, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League, one of the most respected amateur leagues in the country. In his junior season at Dartmouth, Hendricks posted a 6–3 win–loss record with a 2.47 earned run average and 70 strikeouts in 62 innings pitched.
The Texas Rangers selected Hendricks in the eighth round, 264th overall, of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft. After signing with Texas, he began his professional career with the Spokane Indians of the Low-A Northwest League. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Dartmouth in December 2013, completing his coursework in the winter of 2012 and fall of 2013.
Kyle Hendricks Career
Early Career (2011–2013)
After signing with the Rangers organization, Hendricks spent his first professional season with the Spokane Indians of the Low-A Northwest League. His control-heavy style quickly drew attention from rival front offices, and at the 2012 trade deadline the Chicago Cubs acquired him alongside Christian Villanueva in exchange for veteran pitcher Ryan Dempster. The deal gave Hendricks a clearer path to the major leagues.
He opened 2013 with the Tennessee Smokies of the Double-A Southern League before the Cubs promoted him to the Iowa Cubs of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. By season’s end, the organization named him their minor league pitcher of the year, and he began 2014 back at Iowa, where he earned the PCL’s Pitcher of the Week honor for May 12–18.
Chicago Cubs Breakthrough (2014–2016)
Hendricks made his Major League Baseball debut on July 10, 2014, against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park, shortly after the Cubs traded Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the Oakland Athletics. He earned his first MLB win against the San Diego Padres on July 22 and was later named National League Rookie of the Month for August. He finished his rookie campaign with a 7–2 record and a 2.46 ERA, tying for seventh in NL Rookie of the Year voting.
In 2015, Hendricks earned a permanent spot in the Cubs’ rotation and posted an 8–7 record with a 3.95 ERA over 180 innings. He was named NL Pitcher of the Month for August and started Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals and Game 3 of the NLCS against the New York Mets. The 2016 season marked his breakthrough. He went 16–8 with a 2.13 ERA, leading all of Major League Baseball and becoming the first Cub to lead the National League in ERA since 1945 and the first to lead the majors since 1938. In Game 6 of the NLCS, he pitched 7⅓ dominant innings facing the minimum to send Chicago to its first World Series since 1945. The Cubs won the 2016 World Series over the Cleveland Indians, with Hendricks starting Games 3 and 7 to end a 108-year title drought.
Cubs Veteran Years (2017–2024)
Hendricks continued as a rotation anchor for the Cubs over the next several seasons. In 2017, he finished 7–5 with a 3.03 ERA and tied for the major league lead with seven pickoffs, while starting Games 1 and 5 of the NLDS and Game 3 of the NLCS. In 2018, he went 14–11 with a 3.44 ERA and led all major league pitchers in changeup percentage at 30.7%.
On March 26, 2019, Hendricks signed a four-year contract extension with the Cubs that ran through 2023 and included a vesting option for 2024. He picked up his first career Maddux on May 3, 2019, firing 81 pitches in a victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. On July 24, 2020, he threw a 103-pitch complete-game shutout against the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Day, the first Opening Day shutout by a Cubs pitcher since Bill Bonham in 1974. In 2021, he went 14–7, and in 2022 a capsular tear in his shoulder limited him to 16 starts before he returned in 2023 to make 24 starts and go 6–8 with a 3.74 ERA. A rough 2024 saw him post a 4–12 record with a 5.92 ERA across 29 games, and he elected free agency on October 31, 2024.
Los Angeles Angels Era (2025)
On November 6, 2024, Hendricks signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels. He slotted into the Angels’ rotation and provided reliable innings throughout the year. On June 7, 2025, Hendricks recorded his 100th career victory against the Seattle Mariners, a milestone praised by Angels manager Ron Washington. In 31 starts for Los Angeles, he finished 8–10 with a 4.76 ERA and 114 strikeouts across 164⅔ innings. Hendricks announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on November 10, 2025, closing the book on a 12-year playing career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hendricks built his reputation on command rather than overpowering velocity. He excelled at inducing early contact, limiting walks, and changing speeds, leaning heavily on a changeup that he threw more than 30 percent of the time in 2018. His ability to work efficiently and face the minimum number of batters, including his 7⅓-inning clinching performance in Game 6 of the 2016 NLCS, became a hallmark of his style and earned him comparisons to Hall of Famer Greg Maddux.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature moments, Hendricks earned 2016 NLCS MVP-caliber recognition for his Game 6 gem, started the clinching Game 7 of the World Series, led the majors in ERA in 2016, recorded his first career Maddux in 2019, and posted the 100th win of his MLB career in 2025. His Game 3 start in the 2016 World Series helped deliver the Cubs their first championship in 108 years.
Kyle Hendricks Career Wins
Kyle Hendricks finished his MLB career with 105 regular-season wins against 91 losses. His win totals came primarily during his decade-plus run with the Chicago Cubs, and he added to that total during his final season with the Los Angeles Angels in 2025.
Chicago Cubs Highlights
During his Cubs tenure, Hendricks surpassed the 100-win mark of his career and produced several of the most important victories in franchise history. He earned his first MLB win on July 22, 2014, against the San Diego Padres and posted 16 wins during his 2016 All-Star-caliber season. His Game 6 performance in the 2016 National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and his Game 7 start against the Cleveland Indians remain defining postseason moments.
Los Angeles Angels Highlights
With the Angels in 2025, Hendricks logged eight regular-season wins. His most significant victory came on June 7, 2025, when he recorded his 100th career MLB win against the Seattle Mariners, a milestone that manager Ron Washington publicly praised.
Kyle Hendricks Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Kyle Christian Hendricks comes from a Southern California family that emphasized both academics and athletics. His father, John Hendricks, is a golf professional, and his mother, Ann Marie Hendricks, is a medical management consultant. The household helped shape his disciplined approach to competition and education, which carried him to Dartmouth College and ultimately to a 12-year MLB career.
Personal Life
Hendricks is married to his longtime girlfriend, Emma Cain, with the couple tying the knot in November 2017. He earned the nickname “The Professor” from teammates and fans, a nod to his Ivy League degree in economics and an homage to Greg Maddux. He chose “Hendo” as his Players Weekend nickname during the 2017 season. Hendricks has long made his home in San Juan Capistrano, California, the same community where he grew up.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season served as the final chapter of Hendricks’ playing career. Pitching for the Los Angeles Angels on a one-year, $2.5 million contract, he remained a steady presence in the rotation, with his June 7 victory over the Seattle Mariners delivering his 100th career win. Manager Ron Washington consistently praised Hendricks for outperforming his raw statistics, citing the veteran’s preparation and clubhouse leadership.
Hendricks finished the 2025 campaign with an 8–10 record, a 4.76 ERA, and 114 strikeouts across 164⅔ innings in 31 starts. He provided veteran stability for a young Angels staff while mentoring younger pitchers throughout the year.
On November 10, 2025, Hendricks announced his retirement from Major League Baseball, closing a 12-year career that included a World Series championship, an MLB ERA title, and 105 regular-season wins. On April 29, 2026, he transitioned to a front-office role as a special assistant with the Detroit Tigers, focusing on pitching development and reconnecting with president of baseball operations Scott Harris and general manager Jeff Greenberg.