Daylan Holt

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #26 prospect in 2002
  Not much has gone right for Holt since he positioned himself as an early first-round pick entering the 2000 season at Texas A&M. He slumped as a junior, dropped to the third round and had just about everything possible go wrong in 2001, his first full year as a pro. His statistics last year speak for themselves, as he hit for neither power nor average. He had difficulty dealing with failure, taking out his frustrations by yelling at umpires, then didn't get borderline calls the rest of the season. Holt rebounded by putting together an outstanding instructional league, improving his stroke and readjusting his mindset. The A's expect him to return to the California League improved in all areas. With an above-average arm and surprising speed for his size, he has the potential to become a fine right fielder.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #25 prospect in 2001
  After leading NCAA Division I with 34 homers in 1999, Holt projected as an early first-round pick in 2000. But with a mediocre Texas A&M team surrounding him, Holt slipped to 18 homers as a junior and dropped to the third round. He spent most of the summer of 2000 in the amateur Cape Cod League before signing and spending a month in the short-season Northwest League. Holt followed with major strides during instructional league, improving his approach from hard, wild thrusts to consistent line-drive production. He's learning to use his hands and reduce his swing, which should help him keep his power and improve his consistency. Holt needs to improve his right-field defense, but he has a plus arm and unusual speed for his size. He must develop a professional mentality for the long season, rather than carry every failure with him. He's an intense competitor with high expectations for himself. A return to the Cal League in 2001 is probably in order.