Donavon Hendricks

Donavon S. Hendricks

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 0", Weight 175 lb.

• Born March 9, 1986 in Cape Town, Western Cape South Africa

BR register page

Biographical Information

Donavon Hendricks spent three years in Organized Baseball.

Hendricks was born in South Africa and grew up in Melbourne, Victoria. Hendricks debuted as a pro with the 2004 GCL Braves, going 2-0 with a 5.01 ERA in 15 outings; he allowed a .301 average. He pitched for Australia in the 2004 World Junior Championship, allowing 0 runs in 6 1/3 innings and saving a game as one of the Aussie team's best hurlers.

He pitched for the Victoria Aces in the 2005 Claxton Shield, walking 4 in 5 1/3 innings and allowing 3 runs. He was with the Danville Braves in the summer of '05, going 1-2 with a hefty 6.99 ERA in 17 games. He allowed a .350 average; he held left-handed batters to a .200 mark but righties hit .373 against Hendricks.

Donavon was 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA in 4 outings for Victoria during the 2006 Claxton Shield. He pitched for Danville again in 2006, with little improvement; his record was 1-0, 6.27 in 16 games and he had a WHIP of 1.87. Despite his rough time in the US, he was chosen for the Australian national team for the 2006 Intercontinental Cup. In that event, he led the Australian staff with five appearances; he went 0-2 with a save and a 3.68 ERA, striking out 9 in 7 1/3 IP. The save came against South Korea.

In the 2007 Claxton Shield, Donavon held opponents to a .179 average and went 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA for Victoria. He faced the Chiba Lotte Marines in an exhibition for the Australian national team in February 2007 and did very well. Let go by Atlanta, he spent 2007 with two teams in the Canadian-American Association, going 1-0 with a 5.59 ERA in 16 games for the Atlantic City Surf and 1-4 with a 4.02 ERA in 11 games for the Brockton Rox.

Hendricks struggled in the 2008 Claxton Shield, going 1-0 but allowing 20 baserunners and 8 runs in 9 innings of work. He was with the El Paso Diablos for the 2008 season, going 1-0 with a 11.70 ERA, surrendering 26 hits in just 10 innings.

He was on the South African roster for the 2009 World Baseball Classic. In the Classic, he was not effective, giving up 4 hits and 3 runs in 2 1/3 IP. He served up home runs to Héctor Olivera Jr., Yulieski Gourriel and Yohenis Céspedes of Cuba.

Sources

• Flintoff & Dunn Australian Baseball Almanac
• 2005-2007 Baseball Almanacs
• SABR database
• Australian Baseball Federation
• Bio of Hendricks at an Australian baseball site
• World Baseball Classic
• CBS Sports