Oakland Athletics Top 10 Prospects for 2017
3. Grant Holmes, RHP
Birthdate: 3/22/96 (20 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: high A
Stats in 2016: 134 IP, 4.63 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 8.91 BB%, 20.84 K%
When the Dodgers came calling for two free agents-to-be in Rich Hill and Josh Reddick, getting a player of the quality of Holmes would have been a tremendous get, let alone also getting Montas and Cotten, who we’ve already discussed.
Holmes was a first round pick out of high school by the Dodgers in 2014, and they’ve been very impressed with his performance as he’s worked up the system in his two pro seasons.
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Holmes was a guy out of high school known for a big fastball that can touch triple digits that has a bunch of movement. His breaking pitch is a slurvy pitch, but not in a bad way. He throws the pitch with the depth typically seen in a curve but with a slider’s velocity.
What has set Holmes apart from the average guy with big velocity and a big breaking pitch is that he has very solid feel for his change. He can get arm deception and excellent movement on the pitch.
Overall, Holmes generates a ton of his velocity from his legs and mid-section, so he has good projection to control pitches even better once he gets out of hitter haven leagues. Unfortunately for him, that won’t happen for him in the A’s system until he gets to the big league club.
Holmes will likely being 2017 in AA and will work to see his control be more consistent.
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