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
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.
Track Record: The son of Craig Holman, a pitcher who reached Triple-A with the Phillies, Luke Holman beat stomach cancer as a child. He then blossomed into one of the best high school pitchers in Pennsylvania. He was a 20th-round pick of the Blue Jays out of high school but opted to go to Alabama instead. After a modest freshman year, he was one of the best starters in the SEC in 2023. He transferred to LSU, and was once again one of the best starters in the SEC in 2024.
Scouting Report: Holman is a craftsman on the mound who succeeds with modest stuff because he stays a step ahead of hitters and throws strikes, even if his ability to command his 91-93 mph fastball, low-80s slider, mid-70s curve and low-80s split-change isn’t always precise. Holman’s fastball plays above-average because of its riding life at the top of the zone. His slider is also above-average, and he does a good job spinning it off the edge of the zone in two-strike counts. His curve and changeup are both fringe-average.
The Future: Holman’s track record of success and his strike-throwing ability are impressive and should allow him to quickly move through the lower minors, but questions remain as to how effective he can be against big leaguers. His ability to be a long-term MLB starter will depend on whether he can turn one or more of his average offerings into a plus pitch. He’ll make his pro debut in 2025.
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.
Career Transactions
RHP Luke Holman assigned to Daytona Tortugas from ACL Reds.
RHP Luke Holman assigned to ACL Reds.
Cincinnati Reds signed RHP Luke Holman.
Cincinnati Reds signed RHP Luke Holman.
Download our app
Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone