Kyle Hendricks built an unusual MLB career by succeeding without the overpowering fastball that has become increasingly common in modern baseball. Known as “The Professor,” the right-handed pitcher combined control, pitch movement, sequencing, and preparation to become one of the most recognizable starting pitchers in Chicago Cubs history.
He spent 11 seasons with the Cubs after arriving from the Texas Rangers organization and later finished his playing career with the Los Angeles Angels. His greatest season came in 2016, when he posted a 2.13 ERA, led Major League Baseball in ERA, finished third in National League Cy Young Award voting, and helped Chicago win its first World Series championship since 1908.
As of October 2026, kyle hendricks is no longer an active MLB player. He retired in November 2025 after 12 major league seasons and subsequently joined the Detroit Tigers organization as a special assistant, with his work expected to center on pitching development.
Who Is Kyle Hendricks?
Kyle Christian Hendricks was born on December 7, 1989, in Newport Beach, California. He grew up in the San Juan Capistrano area and attended Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo. Before becoming a professional baseball player, he established himself as both a talented pitcher and a serious student.
Hendricks originally received an opportunity from the Los Angeles Angels, who selected him in the 39th round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of high school. Instead of immediately beginning a professional career, he chose Dartmouth College. Dartmouth’s official records identify economics as his major, and the university notes that he completed his degree while pursuing professional baseball.
At Dartmouth, Hendricks developed into a strong collegiate pitcher. During his junior season in 2011, he went 5-3 with a 2.47 ERA in 62 innings and struck out 70 batters. The Texas Rangers selected him in the eighth round, 264th overall, that year.
From Texas to the Chicago Cubs
Hendricks’ path to the majors took an important turn in July 2012. The Cubs acquired him and infielder Christian Villanueva from the Rangers in exchange for veteran pitcher Ryan Dempster. At the time, Hendricks was a minor-league pitcher who had demonstrated excellent control and an ability to limit walks.
The trade eventually became one of the more consequential moves of the Cubs’ rebuilding period. Hendricks continued developing in the organization and had a particularly impressive 2013 minor-league season, going 13-4 with a 2.00 ERA across Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs named him their Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
His major-league debut arrived on July 10, 2014, against the Cincinnati Reds. During his rookie season, Hendricks went 7-2 with a 2.46 ERA in 13 starts and earned National League Rookie of the Month honors in August.
That beginning established an important theme of his career: he did not need to overpower hitters to get them out.
Why Kyle Hendricks Was Called “The Professor”
Hendricks’ nickname, “The Professor,” became closely connected to both his Dartmouth education and his cerebral style of pitching. Rather than relying primarily on velocity, he built his approach around location, movement and changing speeds.
MLB described his arsenal as a precision-oriented combination centered around his changeup and sinker. His fastball generally operated without the extreme velocity associated with many modern starters, making his command and sequencing especially important.
This approach also explains why Hendricks was able to remain effective for so long despite the changing nature of MLB pitching. Hitters knew he was not going to overwhelm them with elite velocity, but that did not necessarily make him easier to face. Keeping the ball in difficult locations and changing speeds could make an apparently hittable pitch much harder to square up.
His style became one of the most distinctive parts of his baseball identity. It also helped make him a useful example of how pitching can be built around command and deception rather than raw power.
The 2016 Season That Defined His Career
The defining chapter of Hendricks’ career came in 2016.
He finished the regular season with a 16-8 record and a 2.13 ERA over 31 games, including 30 starts. That 2.13 ERA led all of MLB, and he finished third in NL Cy Young voting. He also struck out 170 batters while working 190 innings.
Hendricks was particularly effective at Wrigley Field that year. MLB reported that he went 9-2 with a 1.32 ERA in his home appearances, while his road record was 7-6 with a 2.95 ERA.
His regular-season performance was impressive on its own, but the postseason gave the season a much larger historical significance.
In Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Hendricks delivered 7⅓ scoreless innings and helped the Cubs secure their first National League pennant since 1945.
Kyle Hendricks and the 2016 World Series
The Cubs advanced to the World Series against the Cleveland Indians, and Hendricks was selected to start Game 7.
Chicago eventually won the unforgettable game 8-7 in 10 innings, ending the franchise’s 108-year World Series championship drought. Hendricks worked 4⅔ innings in the deciding game and was charged with two runs, one of them earned.
Although Game 7 became famous for its dramatic late innings, Hendricks’ contribution to the championship went far beyond a single start. His regular-season excellence, his NLCS performance and his ability to carry a significant role in the Cubs’ rotation made him a central part of the team’s historic championship season.
He also received the Players Choice Award for Outstanding Pitcher in the National League in 2016. The honor was voted on by fellow MLB players.
A Long and Consistent Cubs Career
Hendricks remained with Chicago for 11 seasons, becoming the longest-tenured member of the club by the end of his Cubs tenure. His career with the organization included several strong seasons and periods when he became one of the rotation’s most dependable starters.
According to MLB, Hendricks finished his Cubs career with a 3.68 ERA across 276 games, including 270 starts. His 270 starts tied Hippo Vaughn for ninth in Cubs franchise history, while his 1,259 strikeouts ranked seventh for the franchise.
One of the memorable closing moments of that Chicago chapter came on September 28, 2024. In what became his final start at Wrigley Field as a Cub, Hendricks threw 7⅓ scoreless innings against the Cincinnati Reds and received a lengthy ovation from the home crowd.
The performance was fitting because the Reds had also been his opponent in his MLB debut a decade earlier.
His Final Season With the Angels
After the 2024 season, Hendricks became a free agent for the first time in his MLB career. He signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels in November 2024. The deal brought him back to Southern California, where he had grown up and attended high school.
His 2025 season was his final year as a player. Hendricks made 31 starts for the Angels, recording an 8-10 record, a 4.76 ERA, 164⅔ innings and 114 strikeouts.
His final major-league appearance came on September 26, 2025, against the Houston Astros. Baseball-Reference lists the outing at five innings, five hits, eight strikeouts, no walks and two earned runs.
Hendricks officially announced his retirement in November 2025 after 12 MLB seasons. He finished with a 105-91 record, a 3.79 career ERA, 1,745 innings and 1,373 strikeouts in 307 games, including 301 starts.
What Is Kyle Hendricks Doing Now?
Retirement did not keep Hendricks away from baseball for long.
In April 2026, the Detroit Tigers hired him as a special assistant in their baseball operations organization. The Tigers’ current front-office directory lists Hendricks as a special assistant to the president, while contemporary reports said his responsibilities would focus on pitching development.
The move also brought him back into an organization connected to people he knew during his Chicago years. Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris and general manager Jeff Greenberg both had previous ties to the Cubs organization during Hendricks’ playing career.
His new role gives the Tigers access to knowledge accumulated through more than a decade of major-league pitching. Hendricks experienced different pitching philosophies, coaching staffs, analytical approaches and changes in the way MLB pitchers prepare. That background can be particularly relevant when discussing pitch selection, preparation and development.
Kyle Hendricks Career Stats
Hendricks’ final MLB statistical line provides a useful summary of his career: 105 wins, 91 losses, a 3.79 ERA, 1,745 innings, 1,373 strikeouts and a 1.189 WHIP over 307 games. He made 301 starts.
His career résumé also includes one World Series championship and an MLB ERA title, both achieved in 2016 with the Cubs.
Those numbers show the unusual shape of his career. He did not simply have one excellent season and disappear. Instead, his 12-year career included a peak season, a championship role, more than 1,700 innings and a long tenure with one franchise.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kyle Hendricks
Is Kyle Hendricks still playing in MLB?
No. Hendricks retired in November 2025 after completing a 12-season MLB career.
What team did Kyle Hendricks play for the longest?
He spent 11 seasons with the Chicago Cubs and one season with the Los Angeles Angels.
Did Kyle Hendricks win a World Series?
Yes. He was part of the 2016 Chicago Cubs team that won the World Series, defeating Cleveland in seven games.
Why is Kyle Hendricks called The Professor?
The nickname became associated with his Dartmouth education and thoughtful, precise pitching style.
What was Kyle Hendricks’ best MLB season?
The strongest statistical season of his career was 2016, when he went 16-8 with a 2.13 ERA and led MLB in ERA. He also finished third in NL Cy Young voting and helped the Cubs win the World Series.
What is Kyle Hendricks doing after retirement?
As of October 2026, he is a special assistant in the Detroit Tigers’ front office, with his baseball work expected to include pitching development.
Kyle Hendricks’ Lasting Baseball Legacy
Kyle Hendricks’ career stands out because it followed a path that was different from the modern image of a dominant starting pitcher. His success was built around command, pitch selection, movement and preparation rather than overwhelming velocity.
From Dartmouth to the Rangers, from a trade to Chicago to the 2016 championship, and finally from the Cubs to the Angels and into the Tigers’ front office, his career has covered several distinct chapters.
The numbers tell one part of the story: 105 wins, 1,373 strikeouts, a 3.79 ERA and 1,745 innings. The historical moments tell another. He won an MLB ERA title, helped the Cubs reach and win the 2016 World Series, and became one of the longest-tenured players in franchise history.
Now his playing days are over, but his baseball career has entered a new phase. With the Detroit Tigers, Hendricks can apply lessons from 12 seasons on an MLB pitching staff to a role focused on the next generation of pitchers.
