- Full name Luke Kenneth Holman
- Born 01/06/2003 in Reading, PA
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Wilson
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Drafted in the CB-B round (71st overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2024 (signed for $997,500).
View Draft Report
School: LSU
Commit/Drafted: Blue Jays ’21 (20)
Age At Draft: 21.6
BA Grade: 50/High
Tools: Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Curveball: 45. Changeup: 45. Control: 50.
After pitching in 15 games as a reliever during his 2022 freshman season with Alabama, Holman was quietly one of the best starters in the Southeastern Conference in 2023, when he posted a 3.67 ERA over 15 starts and 81 innings. He took a step forward on that performance in 2024, though in a different uniform after transferring to LSU. He posted a 2.75 ERA in 16 starts and 91.2 innings with a career-best 33.7% strikeout rate and 8.8% walk rate. Holman is a 6-foot-4, 201-pound righthander with a still-projectable frame who throws from a three-quarters slot with a simple delivery and works off a three-pitch mix. His fastball averages 92 mph and he regularly runs the pitch up to 95, though the pitch’s above-average riding life makes it play up when he locates it at the top of the zone. His primary offspeed offering is a low-80s slider that is his most consistent swing-and-miss pitch, though he’ll use a mid-70s curveball just as often when lefthanded hitters are in the box. Neither pitch is plus, though both are effective when he locates them down in the zone with his fastball working north. Holman occasionally throws a low-80s split-changeup but rarely used it this spring. He’s a control-over-command righty who lacks prototypical first-round stuff but now has two strong seasons as a starter in the toughest conference in the country.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade: 50/High
Track Record: After pitching in 15 games as a reliever during his 2022 freshman season with Alabama, Holman was quietly one of the best starters in the Southeastern Conference in 2023, when he posted a 3.67 ERA over 15 starts and 81 innings. He took a step forward on that performance in 2024, though in a different uniform after transferring to LSU. He posted a 2.75 ERA in 16 starts and 91.2 innings with a career-best 33.7% strikeout rate and 8.8% walk rate.
Scouting Report: Holman is a 6-foot-4, 201-pound righthander with a still-projectable frame who throws from a three-quarters slot with a simple delivery and works off a three-pitch mix. His fastball averages 92 mph and he regularly runs the pitch up to 95, though the pitch’s above-average riding life makes it play up when he locates it at the top of the zone. His primary offspeed offering is a low-80s slider that is his most consistent swing-and-miss pitch, though he’ll use a mid-70s curveball just as often when lefthanded hitters are in the box. Neither pitch is plus, though both are effective when he locates them down in the zone with his fastball working north. Holman occasionally throws a low-80s split-changeup but rarely used it this spring.
The Future: Holman is a lower-risk/lower-ceiling arm to pair with Burns. He’s a control-over-command righty who lacks prototypical first-round stuff but comes into pro ball off two strong seasons as a starter in the toughest conference in the country.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Curveball: 45 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50.
Draft Prospects
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School: LSU Committed: Blue Jays ’21 (20)
Age At Draft: 21.6
After pitching in 15 games as a reliever during his 2022 freshman season with Alabama, Holman was quietly one of the best starters in the SEC in 2023, when he posted a 3.67 ERA over 15 starts and 81 innings of work. His .643 opposing OPS allowed was the third-lowest in the conference and his 1.05 WHIP was behind only Paul Skenes’ 0.75 mark. Holman will be back in the SEC for the 2024 season, but in a Louisiana State uniform. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound righthander averaged 93 mph and touched 96 with his fastball as a sophomore, and he complemented the pitch with a low-80s slider, upper-70s curveball and infrequently-used mid-80s changeup. Holman’s repertoire is a lower-spin pitch mix, but he averaged around 20 inches of induced vertical break on his fastball and did a nice job establishing the pitch in the zone for strikes. Holman pitched with Team USA during the 2023 summer and was one of the top pitchers with the club. He started two games and struck out 15 batters in just eight innings, with only two walks. Holman could push himself into the first round with another strong season as a starter in the SEC.
