Mark Hendrickson is a former professional baseball player who played as a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for over a decade. He was born on June 23, 1974, in Mount Vernon, Washington, and attended Washington State University, where he played college basketball and baseball.
Hendrickson was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 20th round of the 1997 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays in 2002 and played for them until 2004. He then played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 2005 to 2006, the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2006 to 2008, the Florida Marlins from 2008 to 2010, and the Baltimore Orioles in 2011.
Throughout his career, Hendrickson was primarily used as a starting pitcher, but he also made appearances as a relief pitcher. He had a career record of 58 wins and 74 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 5.03. He struck out 757 batters and walked 424 in 1209 innings pitched.
Hendrickson was known for his height, standing at 6 feet 9 inches tall, which made him one of the tallest players in MLB history. He used his height to his advantage, throwing a fastball that reached speeds of up to 95 miles per hour. He also had a curveball, slider, and changeup in his pitching arsenal.
Despite his size and pitching ability, Hendrickson never made an All-Star team or won any major awards during his career. However, he did have some notable moments, such as pitching a complete game shutout for the Blue Jays in 2003 and hitting his first career home run as a member of the Dodgers in 2007.
After retiring from baseball, Hendrickson became a basketball coach at his alma mater, Washington State University. He also worked as a broadcaster for the Tampa Bay Rays and as a pitching coach for the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
In conclusion, Mark Hendrickson had a solid career as a pitcher in MLB, playing for several teams over the course of a decade. He was known for his height and pitching ability, but never achieved any major accolades during his career. After retiring from baseball, he continued to work in the sports industry as a coach and broadcaster.
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