Kyle Hart Bio
Kyle Patrick Hart (born November 23, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). A left-handed thrower and batter listed at 6 feet 5 inches and 170 pounds, Hart has also played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox and spent one season in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League with the NC Dinos. He is best known for his dominant 2024 season in South Korea, which earned him the Choi Dong-won Award.
Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2016, Hart spent several years moving through the minor leagues before reaching the majors in 2020. After a difficult debut season, he spent time in Triple-A, had brief stints in the Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies systems, and then revived his career overseas before returning to the Padres.
Early Life and Background
Kyle Patrick Hart was born on November 23, 1992, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He grew up in the Cincinnati area and attended Sycamore High School, where he began his path as a pitcher. His height of 6 feet 5 inches eventually became one of his most noticeable physical traits on the mound.
After high school, Hart enrolled at Indiana University, where he played college baseball for the Indiana Hoosiers for five seasons between 2012 and 2016. During his junior year, he underwent Tommy John surgery, a common procedure for pitchers that reconstructs the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. He worked his way back from the injury and continued to develop as a starter for the Hoosiers, eventually catching the attention of professional scouts.
Path to Baseball
Hart’s college experience, combined with his left-handed delivery and tall frame, made him an intriguing prospect heading into the 2016 MLB Draft. The Boston Red Sox selected him in the 19th round, with the 568th overall pick. He was viewed as a projectable arm who could move through the system as a starting pitcher.
After being drafted, Hart began his professional career in the Red Sox minor league system. In 2017, he pitched for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, Greenville Drive, and Salem Red Sox, compiling a strong 2.15 earned run average (ERA) across 19 starts while striking out 109 batters in 117 innings. His performance that year signaled that he could develop into a reliable rotation piece at higher levels.
Kyle Hart Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
Hart’s first full professional season came in 2017, when he split time across three Red Sox affiliates and posted a 6–5 record with a 2.15 ERA. He struck out more than a batter per inning, drawing praise for his poise on the mound. The following year, he advanced to Double-A and spent the entire 2018 campaign with the Portland Sea Dogs, logging a 3.57 ERA and 100 strikeouts in just under 139 innings.
In 2019, Hart opened the year in Portland before earning a promotion to the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. Across both levels, he went 12–13 with a 3.52 ERA in 71 starts, fanning 140 batters in 156 innings. Following the season, the Red Sox added him to their 40-man roster, recognizing that he was on the verge of contributing at the major league level.
Boston Red Sox Debut (2020)
The 2020 MLB season was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Hart was eventually called up to make his major league debut. On August 13, 2020, the Red Sox named him the starting pitcher against the Tampa Bay Rays. The outing was a difficult one, as Hart allowed seven runs, five of them earned, on seven hits and three walks in just two innings and took the loss.
Hart made four appearances, including three starts, for the 2020 Red Sox, finishing with an 0–1 record and a 15.55 ERA in 11 innings. A left hip impingement sent him to the injured list in September, and he spent the rest of the year there. On November 20, 2020, he was removed from the 40-man roster and returned to the minors. In 2021, he pitched for the Worcester Red Sox in Triple-A, going 6–9 with a 4.22 ERA in 20 starts. He split 2022 between Worcester and Portland before electing free agency that November.
Minor League Stints and KBO Success (2023–2024)
On February 7, 2023, Hart signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He made a single scoreless appearance for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs before being released in April 2023. A few weeks later, on June 3, 2023, he signed with the Seattle Mariners and spent the rest of the year with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, posting a 4–6 record and a 4.58 ERA in 18 starts.
Seeking a new opportunity, Hart signed a one-year, $500,000 contract with the NC Dinos of the KBO League on December 19, 2023. The deal included a $200,000 signing bonus and the potential for an additional $200,000 in incentives. In 26 starts during the 2024 season, he went 13–3 with a 2.69 ERA, emerging as one of the top foreign pitchers in the league. After the season, he won the Choi Dong-won Award, the KBO’s equivalent of the Cy Young Award. He then elected free agency to pursue a return to MLB.
San Diego Padres Era (2025–Present)
On February 13, 2025, Hart signed a one-year, major league contract with the San Diego Padres that included a club option for the 2026 season. He appeared in 20 games, including six starts, going 3–3 with a 5.86 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 43 innings. The Padres declined his 2026 option on November 4, briefly making him a free agent. However, on November 17, 2025, the Padres re-signed Hart to a one-year, $1 million contract that includes a club option for 2027, keeping him in the organization.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hart relies on his tall, 6-foot-5 frame to create a downhill pitching plane, which helps his fastball play up in the strike zone. As a left-handed pitcher, he is most effective against same-handed hitters, and he pairs his fastball with a breaking ball and a changeup to keep batters off balance. His poise on the mound, built through years in the minors and overseas, has been one of his defining traits.
Notable Events and Milestones
Hart’s career highlight is his 2024 season with the NC Dinos, when he went 13–3 with a 2.69 ERA and won the Choi Dong-won Award. His major league debut on August 13, 2020, with the Red Sox remains another milestone, as does his return to the Padres in 2025 after a successful stint in Korea.
Kyle Hart Career Wins
Hart has notched the bulk of his professional victories in the minor leagues and in the KBO League. His most decorated season came in 2024, when he went 13–3 for the NC Dinos. He has also recorded wins at every minor league level he has played, including Double-A Portland, Triple-A Pawtucket, Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and Triple-A Tacoma.
KBO League Highlights
In his only KBO season, Hart was one of the league’s top starters. He went 13–3 with a 2.69 ERA in 26 starts for the NC Dinos in 2024, then captured the Choi Dong-won Award as the top pitcher in the league. The performance marked a major turnaround from his earlier struggles in affiliated baseball.
Other Wins and Performances
Hart has compiled consistent results in the upper levels of the minor leagues, including a 12–13 record in 2019 with Portland and Pawtucket and a 6–5 record in 2017 across three Red Sox affiliates. He has not won a major league game through his 2025 appearances with the Padres, in which he went 3–3 with a 5.86 ERA.
2025 Season Performance
Hart’s 2025 campaign marked his return to MLB after winning the Choi Dong-won Award in Korea. Pitching out of the bullpen and in spot starts for San Diego, he went 3–3 with a 5.86 ERA in 20 appearances, striking out 37 batters across 43 innings. The Padres used him in a swing role as they sorted through their rotation options throughout the year.
Although his ERA was higher than the dominant numbers he posted in the KBO, Hart provided length and veteran stability for the San Diego pitching staff. The organization declined his 2026 option in early November, but quickly reversed course and re-signed him to a new one-year, $1 million deal later that month, underlining how much he was valued in the clubhouse.
Looking ahead, Hart is expected to compete for a spot in the Padres’ pitching staff during 2026 spring training. His new contract includes a club option for 2027, giving San Diego additional flexibility. With his track record overseas and his recent major league experience, he will be working to bring his ERA down and prove that his KBO success can translate more fully to MLB hitters.