Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2014, going 7-2 with a 2.46 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 13 starts. A lot of folks are interested to see where Hendricks goes from there in his second MLB season.
While Hendricks was never considered an elite prospect in the minors, despite some pretty good numbers (2.69 ERA, 1.07 WHIP), the Cubs are confident the 25-year-old right-hander can continue to have success at the major-league level.
“He’s shown the ability to make the big pitch,” Cubs president Theo Epstein said, per ESPN. “He has some tools now. He has a really good sinker. His sinker moves straight down. And it’s late. Who cares if its 89 or 88, it gets a ground ball?
“He can make balls look like strikes and strikes look like balls. It opens up a lot. He has a lot of different ways to shape a big pitch in a big spot.”
Joe Maddon is in his first spring with the Cubs, and it hasn't taken Hendricks long to make a strong impression.
“People will not project him highly because he’s not lighting up the gun but he lights up the location,” Maddon said. “Ask a hitter what they think. A hitter is going to tell you by the way he reacts to his pitches. He’s good. He’s real good. He just gets hitters out. They go back to the dugout, they’re all very upset. They’re breaking bats, wondering how did he beat me like that? And that happens 16, 17 times a year when he wins games.”