An unsigned 26th-round pick of the Red Sox out of high school, Denholm won Big West Conference pitcher of the year as a sophomore and did not allow a run in two years pitching in the Cape Cod League, totaling 28.2 scoreless innings. An undersized 5-foot-11, 180-pound righthander, Denholm is more steady than eye-popping. He locates his 89-93 mph fastball, gets off-balance swings with a plus changeup, mixes in an average slider and flips in the occasional curveball for strikes to keep batters guessing. He’s an elite competitor who fills up the strike zone with four pitches and never gives in, often outperforming pitchers who have better stuff. Denholm’s stuff ticked down this spring due to elbow inflammation, but he still found ways to compete. Like other accomplished collegiate strike-throwers before him, Denholm is in the mix to be drafted between the third and fifth rounds.
