He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals.

VerHagen attended Rockwall-Heath High School in Heath, Texas, where he was a three-year letter winner.

VerHagen made his major league debut for the Detroit Tigers on July 19, 2014, in a game against the Cleveland Indians.

He returned to the Tigers for an August 19 appearance against the Chicago Cubs and remained with the parent club the rest of the season.

VerHagen recorded his first career major league win, in a 9–2 decision over the Cleveland Indians in the second game of a doubleheader on September 13, 2015.

[12] For the 2015 season, he would pitch a total of 26+1⁄3 innings with the Tigers, surrendering only 18 hits while striking out 13 and posting a 2.05 ERA.

In spring training 2018, manager Ron Gardenhire and VerHagen discussed a full-time bullpen role for the upcoming season.

In 2019, VerHagen was designated for a rehab assignment with the Single–A Lakeland Flying Tigers to start the 2019 season, due to a sore shoulder.

[22] On November 26, 2019, VerHagen signed a one-year contract with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

[25] He made 19 appearances for the Cardinals during an injury-plagued season, registering a 6.65 ERA and 1.89 WHIP in 21+2⁄3 innings pitched.

[26] VerHagen made 60 appearances out of the bullpen for St. Louis in 2023, compiling a 5-1 record and 3.98 ERA with 60 strikeouts across 61 innings of work.

On January 12, 2024, VerHagen re-signed a contract with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball.