A three-year varsity letterman for Jesuit Dallas, Kevin Hart ascended through the baseball ranks en route to becoming the School’s first alumnus to reach the Major Leagues. After notable stints in high school and college, Hart enjoyed an eight-year career in the pros, including seasons with the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Hart was twice named TCIL First Team All-State, and helped lead Jesuit to the 1999 state championship. Following his junior season, he was selected to compete in Japan and China with the 2000 Area Code Team, which represents the best underclassmen in the country. He returned for his senior season, where he finished 9-1 on the hill with a 1.20 ERA, while hitting a team-best .487 with 10 homeruns.
Hart continued to shine as a pitcher and hitter in college, pacing Navarro College to a second-place finish at the 2003 NJCAA Regional Championships. Named first team all-region, he was tabbed the 2003 Rawlings NJCAA Big Stick Award winner after finishing the year with the highest batting average in the Southern District, and earned MVP distinction at the All American Baseball Association National Tournament. Hitting .448 with 11 homeruns and 42 RBI, he also totaled a 9-2 pitching record with a 2.54 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 72 innings. Hart transferred to the University of Maryland in 2004, where he served as the Terrapins’ top pitcher, and was named First Team All-ACC at the conclusion of the season.
Hart was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 11th round of the 2004 MLB June Amateur Draft, and assigned to single-A affiliate Aberdeen. Winning all three of his decisions, he was quickly promoted to Delmarva, where he led the South Atlantic League with 164 strikeouts. Traded to Chicago, Hart delivered strong performances for Tennessee (AA) and Iowa (AAA), before making his major league debut with the Cubs on Sept. 4, 2007 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Named the No.10 prospect in the Chicago Cubs organization by Baseball America in 2007, Hart was No. 6 on the list in 2008. He made eight appearances for the Cubs during the 2007 stretch playoff run, posting a 0.82 ERA and holding opposing batters to a .189 average. In 2009, hours after authoring a win against Houston Astros, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hart made 47 appearances for the Cubs and Pirates from 2007-09 before shoulder surgery in 2010 eventually forced an early retirement.
An active volunteer and supporter of the Jesuit Dallas baseball program, Hart is a lifetime member of the Major League Baseball Players Association Alumni. He currently serves as a major league scout in charge of professional/advanced scouting for the New York Yankees.
