The Atlanta Braves selected Hale in the third round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft. The Braves added him to their 40-man roster after the 2012 season. Hale was recalled from the Triple-AGwinnett Braves on September 5, 2013. He made his major league debut on September 13, pitching five innings and recording nine strikeouts, breaking the franchise record for strikeouts in a debut. In the debut, he opposed the Princeton's Will Venable who struck out leading off the game for the San Diego Padres. This was the second matchup between a Princeton pitcher and a Princeton batter in major league history. Hale made the Braves' NLDS roster in 2013. He only appeared in one game as a reliever. Hale spent the majority of the 2014 season in the Braves bullpen after beginning the season as a starter. He started 6 games before shifting to the bullpen, where he ended up appearing in 39 games. Overall, Hale finished the 2014 season with 45 appearances and a 4-5 record with a 3.30 ERA in 87.1 innings.
Colorado Rockies
Following the 2014 season, the Braves traded Hale and Gus Schlosser to the Colorado Rockies for minor league catchers Jose Briceno and Chris O'Dowd. Hale spent time in the minors in 2015 but would be recalled by Colorado from the Albuquerque Isotopes on June 2. On April 22, 2016, Hale was designated for assignment by the Rockies.
Return to the minor leagues
On April 25, 2016, Hale was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles and assigned to Triple-A. He became a free agent after the season. Hale signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves for the 2017 season. He was released in March 2017. Hale signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers in April 2017. He appeared in 15 games in the Dodgers farm system between the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers and Double-A Tulsa Drillers and was 5–4 with a 4.74 ERA.
New York Yankees
On January 31, 2018, Hale signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees. The Yankees purchased his contract, promoting him to the major leagues, on April 22.
Minnesota Twins
On April 26, 2018, the Minnesota Twins acquired Hale via waiver claim. He pitched in one game and was designated for assignment on April 28, 2018. Hale cleared waivers and subsequently became a free agent after rejecting the outright assignment.
Second stint with Yankees
On May 1, 2018, Hale signed another minor league deal with the New York Yankees. After being designated for assignment again he elected free agency on May 16, 2018. He re-signed to another minor league deal on May 20, 2018. He was designated for a second time by the team on July 7.
Hanwha Eagles
After his release from the Yankees, he agreed to a deal with the Hanwha Eagles. He became a free agent following the 2018 season.
Third stint with Yankees
On January 21, 2019, Hale signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees. He had his contract selected to the major leagues on May 21, 2019. During the season, he pitched in 20 games out of the bullpen, earning an ERA of 3.11. On July 28, 2019, Hale was placed on the 10-day injured list with lumbar spine strain. On September 1st, 2019, he was transferred to the 60-day injured list with a knee injury sustained during his inactivity. He was reinstated to the active roster on September 28th, pitching in one game before the regular season ended. Hale was not selected to the postseason roster for the Yankees ALDS against the Minnesota Twins. On October 12, 2019, after defeating the Twins and advancing to the ALCS, the Yankees designated Hale for assignment in order to reinstate Aaron Hicks from the 60-day injured list. He elected free agency on October 21.
Fourth stint with Yankees
On February 3, 2020, the Yankees signed Hale to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. As part of an arrangement to provide him with an opt-out clause within a week of the delayed Opening Day, the Yankees released and then re-signed Hale on April 2, 2020. On July 21, Hale had his contract selected to the 40-man roster.
Personal life
Hale was drafted following his junior year at Princeton, but attended courses during the baseball off-season and graduated with a degree in economics. He married his high school girlfriend on November 14, 2015.
