Ixan Henderson Stats & Scouting Report

IP	132.0
ERA	2.59
WHIP	1.140
BB/9	3.5
SO/9	9.1

Full name Philip Henderson
Born 01/29/2002 in Fresno, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 180 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Fresno State
Drafted in the 8th round (245th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023 (signed for $230,000).

View Draft Report

School: Fresno State Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.5
Henderson has put together a nice three-year career at Fresno State and after a 2022 season in which he pitched his way to a 4.69 ERA with 98 strikeouts in 78.2 innings pitched, turned in the best season of his career. In 2023, Henderson posted a 3.74 ERA over 89 innings with a 26% strikeout rate and an 8.9% walk rate—the best mark of his career. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound lefthander features a diverse four-pitch mix that consists of a low-90s fastball, an upper-70s slider, a low-70s curveball and a low-80s changeup. Henderson has a low maintenance motion on the mound and hides the ball well thanks to his long arm action, which makes his fastball play up at times. He generated a strong, 26% whiff rate on the fastball this spring. Henderson’s slower curveball has 11-to-5 shape with decent depth, while his slider is his best secondary pitch with big-time sweep that flashes plus at times. Henderson projects to be a back-of-the-rotation starter at the next level, where his above-average pitchability and pitch mix will make him effective.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Mild

Adjusted Grade: 40

Track Record: Henderson spent three seasons Fresno State, his hometown school, earning all-Mountain West Conference honors in 2022 and 2023. The Cardinals drafted Henderson in the eighth round in 2023 and signed him for $230,000. After spending the 2024 season split between Low-A and High-A, Henderson broke camp with Double-A Springfield in 2025. Across 25 starts spanning 132 innings, he pitched to a 2.59 ERA and won the Texas League ERA title. The league’s pitcher of the year, Henderson broke out in a big way.

Scouting Report: Henderson is an average-sized lefthander with a longer arm action and a deceptive three-quarters arm slot. He repeats his mechanics well and shows a deep arsenal of pitches, keeping hitters off-balance despite a lack of velocity. Henderson’s fastball sits 92-94 mph and touches 95-96. The pitch has average ride but late armside run that explodes on hitters. He has plus command of his fastball and does a good job of avoiding the heart of the plate. Henderson thrives on his ability to work the top and bottom of the zone effectively. His top secondary pitch is a sweeper sitting in the low 80s with more than a foot of horizontal break on average with some tilt. Henderson’s changeup is his best swing-and-miss pitch and shows good vertical separation off his fastball. He will mix in a mid-70s curveball with two-plane break as a change of pace from his sweeper. He threw a few cutters during the 2025 season, but it was used sparingly. Henderson’s control is better than his walk rates suggest, and the lefthander does a good job of navigating the shadow zone and avoiding barrels.

The Future: Henderson looks like a soon-to-the-majors No. 5 starter with limited upside. The 2026 season and his first taste of Triple-A will be a test of his fastball quality.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Cutter: 30 | Control: 55.

Draft Prospects

School: Fresno State Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.5
Henderson has put together a nice three-year career at Fresno State and after a 2022 season in which he pitched his way to a 4.69 ERA with 98 strikeouts in 78.2 innings pitched, turned in the best season of his career. In 2023, Henderson posted a 3.74 ERA over 89 innings with a 26% strikeout rate and an 8.9% walk rate—the best mark of his career. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound lefthander features a diverse four-pitch mix that consists of a low-90s fastball, an upper-70s slider, a low-70s curveball and a low-80s changeup. Henderson has a low maintenance motion on the mound and hides the ball well thanks to his long arm action, which makes his fastball play up at times. He generated a strong, 26% whiff rate on the fastball this spring. Henderson’s slower curveball has 11-to-5 shape with decent depth, while his slider is his best secondary pitch with big-time sweep that flashes plus at times. Henderson projects to be a back-of-the-rotation starter at the next level, where his above-average pitchability and pitch mix will make him effective.