Position: RHP
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 230 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 10/08/1995
College: Heartland Community College (IL)
Drafted: 9th round, 280th Overall, 2016 (Mets)
How Acquired: Trade (from Mets for Daniel Vogelbach)
Bonus: $400,000
40-man Roster: Yes
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Minor League Free Agency: N/A
Options Left: 3
Overview
The Mets gave Holderman an above-slot bonus to sign after being drafted in the 9th round. At the time, he threw in the low-90s. It took his career some time to get off the ground due to injuries and the pandemic, but things started coming together for him in 2022. Holderman throws a fastball that averaged 96 mph at the time the Pirates acquired him, but was averaging 98 by 2023. He frequently throws a slider or cutter, or both, depending on the source; the slider gets a lot of swings and misses. The Pirates acquired him after the All-Star break in 2022.
2016-21
Holderman didn’t get on the mound a great deal during his first five pro seasons. He struggled in relief in short-season ball in his first partial season, then tried starting in low A in 2017. After four starts, though, he went on the injured list and returned to make only three more. That was followed by Tommy John surgery, which cost him all of 2018 and the first month of 2019. He continued starting that year, mostly in low A, but also missed six more weeks later in the season. Then the pandemic cost him the 2020 season.
The injury problems continued in 2021, which Holderman opened in AA. After two starts, he missed two months, then after a rehab returned to AA and pitched in relief for the season’s last month.
2022-24
The Mets sent Holderman to AAA, where he pitched strictly in relief. He did very well there and the Mets called him up in mid-May. Other than missing much of June with a right shoulder impingement, Holderman stayed in the Mets’ bullpen. He continued to pitch well, allowing an OPS of just .466 to right-handed batters and .525 to left-handed batters. The Pirates acquired him just after the All-Star break for Daniel Vogelbach. The team initially sent Holderman to Indianapolis, but called him up after a week. Over nine games with the Pirates he pitched poorly, but nearly all the damage came in the last two games. After that, Holderman went on the injured list with shoulder soreness and missed the rest of the season.
In 2023, Holderman started the season as the Pirates’ 8th-inning guy. He had a strong season except for a couple of brief stretches, both of which ended with him on the injured list. In the first one, he gave up six earned runs over four games, then went on the IL for two and a half weeks. In the second one, in late September, he gave up seven earned runs in three games, then went on IL for the rest of the season. Apart from those seven games, Holderman allowed 11 earned runs in 51 games all year. On the year, Holderman’s walk and K rates were good, at 3.2 BB/9 and 9.3 K/9.
Holderman had some very sharp ups and downs in 2024. Through the end of June, he had a 1.21 ERA and opponents batted just .160 against him. In July, things started to go south and, late in the month, he started on a stretch in which he allowed nine earned runs in three and a third innings. In early August he went on the injured list with a right wrist injury that had bothered him at times earlier in the year. He returned in September and allowed just two runs in nine and a third innings. On the season Holderman had a 3.16 ERA, 4.4 BB/9 and 9.8 K/9, while ranking third on the team with 55 games pitched.
Stats
Transactions
June 10, 2016: Drafted by the New York Mets in the 9th round, 280th overall pick; signed June 13.
May 15, 2022: Contract purchased by the New York Mets.
July 22, 2022: Traded by the New York Mets to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Daniel Vogelbach.