Grant Holman

Holman first rose to fame at the 2013 Little League World Series when he pitched a no-hitter, hit a grand slam and hit a game-winning, three-run homer on consecutive days to lead California to the U.S. Championship. He followed with a decorated career at San Diego-area power Eastlake High, where his teammates included 2019 first-round pick Keoni Cavaco and projected 2021 top-five pick Marcelo Mayer, and was a preseason All-American this spring for Cal. Previously a two-way player for the Golden Bears, Holman focused solely on pitching this spring and came out showing improved stuff, although the performance didn’t quite follow. He went 1-3, 3.83 with 46 strikeouts and 22 walks in 47 innings. Holman’s fastball sits 92-93 mph and touches 96 with heavy sink out of his massive 6-foot-6, 250-pound frame. He powers his fastball downhill out of his lower three-quarters arm slot to induce lots of ground ball swings and misses over the top. His main secondary is an average split-changeup that gets swings and misses, and his mid-80s vertical slider has started to flash above-average, although its low spin rate concerns analytically-minded teams. Holman’s size and arm strength are appealing, but he has fringy control and his injury history is concerning. He had back issues in high school and missed the first month of this season with biceps tendinitis. The 47 innings he threw this season were the most of his career. Holman’s big frame and health record have many teams projecting him to a relief role. He projects to be taken early on the draft’s second day.