Hedlund was born in Dallas, Texas, and signed as an amateur free agent with the Cleveland Indians upon graduation from Arlington High School in. He was just eighteen years old when he made his major league debut on May 8, against the Boston Red Sox. He appeared in just six games, and pitched a total of 5.1 innings before returning to the minors. He returned to the majors in as a September call up, and appeared in three games. After the season, he was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft.
Kansas City Royals
Hedlund went 3–6 with a 3.24 earned run average during the Royals' inaugural season. Used as both a starter and relief pitcher, he was far more effective out of the bullpen, posting a 1.69 ERA and earning two saves. His finest start came on September 18 when he held the Oakland Athletics to just one run, and struck out eight to earn the complete game victory. After the season, Hedlund pitched for Tiburones de La Guaira in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. He set a league record by not allowing an earned run for the first 53 innings he pitched, and finishing with a 0.75 ERA. While in Venezuela, Hedlund would contract the Hong Kong flu and bronchitis, causing him to lose thirty pounds. But he recovered and served as a reinforcement for the Navegantes del Magallanes, eventual champions of the 1970 Caribbean Series. Hedlund began the in the majors, but was ineffective, and was reassigned to the triple AOmaha Royals. In, the Royals boasted one of the most talented young starting rotations in the majors with Hedlund, Dick Drago and Paul Splittorff all under 27 years old. After narrowly avoiding one hundred losses in 1970, the Royals improved to 85–76, in 1971 to finish second in the American League West. For his part, Hedlund rebounded to go 15–8 in with the leagues fourth best ERA, 2.71. After the season, Hedlund traveled to Vietnam with a group of Major League ballplayers on a tour of hospitals and military bases. Hedlund started in the Royals' rotation, but after starting the season 0–5, was moved into the bullpen. He improved considerably at that point; winning his next four starts when used by managerBob Lemon as a spot starter. At the 1972 Winter meetings he was traded back to the Cleveland Indians for utility infielderKurt Bevacqua.
