Henderson impressed in his limited major-league opportunities with a 1.78 ERA and 33 strikeouts in his first five starts, spanning 25 ⅓ innings. He showed why he has been one of the more interesting pitching prospects in the system for a while now.

What to Like
Logan Henderson’s fastball and changeup form the foundation of his arsenal, and both pitches performed very well for him against big-league batters. The changeup, in particular, stands out as a plus offering, featuring strong velocity separation from the fastball, good fade, and solid depth. He also tunnels it very well with his fastball.

His four-seam fastball also performs better than the 92-95 MPH readings on the radar gun might suggest, due to Henderson’s ability to generate an excellent vertical approach angle and strong carry through the zone, from a low release height, helping him miss bats at a higher rate than expected.

Henderson is also a bulldog on the mound. He competes with whatever he has that day and isn’t afraid to show a little emotion after recording a big out. He has the type of mentality that helps a pitcher work around some of the potential downfalls discussed below.

The combination of command, mentality, and two high-quality pitches gives Henderson a strong baseline as a major-league arm. Even without further development in his arsenal, the current profile suggests a reliable floor in a relief role. His ability to locate his best pitches and generate swing-and-miss results should allow him to contribute at the big-league level in some capacity for a long time. It wouldn’t be a shock to see the velocity tick up a bit in a shorter role, either.

What to Work On
The biggest question surrounding Henderson is the lack of a consistent third pitch. He currently does not have a reliable offering that moves glove-side or provides a different look from his fastball and changeup combination. While the two-pitch mix has worked in short outings and early appearances, it may be more difficult to sustain success as a starting pitcher once opposing lineups see him multiple times.

He has experimented with both a slider and a cutter, with the cutter appearing more likely to develop into a usable pitch. His natural pronating arm action makes it difficult for him to consistently create the shape needed for a traditional breaking ball, which has limited the effectiveness of his slider. Continued refinement of the cutter or the development of any glove-side moving pitch would significantly strengthen his starting profile.

On that note, there may have been a breakthrough this spring. Henderson has been working to bring back a curveball that he threw in college, and he debuted it in his first spring outing. The shape and the spin of the pitch grade out as a perfectly solid third pitch, and it’s a much bigger shape than any other breaking ball he has thrown in the past. 

Without that additional pitch, his overall ceiling as a starter remains somewhat limited. The current arsenal can succeed, but expanding his pitch mix would improve his ability to handle lineups multiple times and raise his long-term upside. The curveball could be the pitch that does this, but it’s too soon to say for sure.

What’s Next
His early major-league success has raised expectations, but his long-term value will depend on how his repertoire develops over the next season. If a consistent third pitch emerges, Henderson has the tools to settle into a role as a mid-to-back-end starter, right out of camp in 2026. Without it, his strong fastball and changeup combination still provide a clear path to a long-term role in a major-league bullpen, where his pitch mix could play up in shorter outings.