Grant Holmes was the Dodgers first round draft selection in the 2014 First Year Player Draft. Some were surprised that he was still available when the Dodgers claimed him with the 22nd overall selection in the draft. MLB Prospect Watch had ranked Holmes as the eleventh overall prospect heading into the draft. His fastball and curve ball were both ranked ahead of trall draft selection in 2014.

Following his first appearance with the Arizona League Dodgers on July 2nd Holmes went on to make 11 starts in 2014 recording a 3.72 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. In 48.1 innings he gave up 39 hits while striking out 58. The highlight of his 2014 season was a nine strikeout performance against the Grand Junction Rockies in the rookie Pioneer League.

Dodgers 2014 first-round draft pick Grant Holmes is now 3-0 on the season with a 3.03 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 38.2 innings pitched. (Photo credit – Andrew Whitaker)

Holmes started the 2015 season with the Great Lakes Loons of the Class-A Midwest League. His season started a bit slowly as in two of his first four appearances he gave up a total of nine earned runs.

Following the second of those starts Holmes went on cruise control. In his next three starts the 6’ 1”, 215 lb right-hander gave up only two earned runs on 10 hits in 17 innings along with 18 strikeouts. He did walk seven.

On Wednesday evening Holmes continued on cruise control against the Dayton Dragons. He retired the side with three swinging strikeouts in the third inning and retired the side on six pitches in the sixth inning. In the sixth he struck out Dragons shortstop Luis Gonzalez on three pitches – a change up, a curve ball and a fastball. It marked the third strikeout on the evening for Gonzalez.

Holmes did not come out for the seventh inning leaving the game with the Loons leading 5-0. The lone hit by the Dragons off the 19-year-old was a single to center field by Dayton’s first baseman Paul Kronenfeld in the second inning. The strikeout of Luis Gonzalez in the sixth inning was the ninth for Holmes matching his previous high against the Grand Junction Rockies in 2014. He walked two in his six innings. On the evening he threw 84 pitches, 56 of them for strikes.

Holmes has now given up two earned runs in his last 23 innings. He has struck out 27 and lowered his ERA to 3.03.

The Loons went on to win the game 7-1 giving Holmes his third win of the season.