Pittsburgh Pirates’ Clay Holmes nearing career-highs, showcasing talent
As the MiLB season nears an end, Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Clay Holmes is displaying his major league potential.
His stats may not indicate it, but Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Clay Holmes has endured his fair share of struggles this season.
The 24-year-old, who made his 23rd start on Thursday, has battled early season woes and fatigue with Triple-A Indianapolis. Obstacles aside, Holmes is in the midst of arguably his best season as a professional.
“Just going through the trials and tribulations of a first year in Triple-A, the guy’s coming out on top,” said Indianapolis manager Andy Barkett. “For what he’s been through this year — a little bit of a dead arm and a couple of struggles at times — he’s bounced back well.
“He’s gone through a lot this year on the mound that’s helping him for the future to be an effective major league pitcher.”
A ninth round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, Holmes has been consistently dominant following the All-Star break. The Alabama native is 3-2 with a 2.27 ERA in eight starts, including a pair of shutout performances of five-plus innings.
Holmes credits a gradual transition to International League baseball for his recent surge.
“It was a learning curve early on. My stuff was there but I wasn’t able to make some pitches,” he said. “Being able to learn from those games and being able to recognize those moments in games and when to make a big pitch and how to make a big pitch, I think that has carried over as of late.”
Unlike his flame-throwing teammate Tyler Glasnow, the 6’5″ right-hander operates in the mid-90s and constantly looks for ground ball outs. Holmes also attacks with a curveball and changeup to complement his fastball.
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“If I can get the ball on the ground, I’m very good at it,” he said. “I think carrying that strength over to my mindset and having that intent to put the ball on the ground, and how to, has been the big thing this year.”
In addition to his 2.98 groundball-to-flyout ratio, Holmes is capable of striking hitters out. Pittsburgh’s #19 prospect, according to MLB.com, is just four strikeouts shy of his career-high set last season with Double-A Altoona (101).
“To strike out hitters you got to get ahead and that comes with attacking the zone with my fastball,” said Holmes. “I believe, once I get ahead, that I really have the stuff to get the ball on the ground or a strikeout.”
In his next start, Holmes will go for not only a new professional high in strikeouts, but wins as well. He notched his 10th victory last night and has two probable starts remaining.
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However, Holmes is not preoccupied on personal wins and strikeouts, but rather helping Indianapolis to an IL West division crown and its first Governors’ Cup championship since 2000.
“We’re taking it one game at a time,” he said. “If we stay with that mindset and stay in the moment, we will be able to win a lot of games and take this pretty deep.”