Clay Holmes

Holmes was being recruited by most of Alabama's mid-major programs such as Troy and Samford last year, but Auburn swooped in to grab his commitment after his stuff jumped up a notch this spring and he became the state's top propsect. A strong student, he is the state coaches association's student-athlete of the year, is his school's valedictorian and got a lot tougher to sign when Auburn entered the picture. Holmes is a classic raw arm from the South, with good size but plenty to learn in pro ball. At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, he has present strength in his frame and in his arm, with an above-average fastball at 90-93 mph. He holds his velocity better at some times than others, typical of a high school pitcher, and has shown the ability to stay tall in his delivery and throw downhill. His slider has ranged from average with flashes of plus to terrible. Scouts who have seen it good like its power and occasional depth. His delivery has plenty of effort and is far from fluid, leading to bouts of wildness, but his arm is fast enough to overcome the flaws and he racked up plenty of strikeouts. Scouts also disagree about his level of athleticism.