Kyle Holder

A San Diego prep product, Holder intended to play baseball and basketball at local Grossmont JC before realizing as a freshman that his future lay in baseball. That spring was the first time he ever focused just on baseball, and he began to emerge as a prospect. He had a strong summer in the Cape Cod League last year for Cotuit, then was San Diego's leading hitter for most of this spring, further increasing his draft stock. The athletic 6-foot-1, 185-pounder doesn't run better than average and has an uphill lefthanded swing path, which one scout compared to a cricket swing. However, Holder has shown a knack for the barrel this spring and makes consistent contact. He's unlikely to make an impact offensively but should defensively, where scouts give him grades ranging from 55 to 70. He has an average-to-plus arm to go with excellent, instinctive actions and footwork. Holder has short-area quickness makes playing shortstop look easy and smooth. He's earned comparisons to glove-first American shortstops of recent vintage from Walt Weiss and Gary DiSarcina to Brendan Ryan.