Round 10, Pick 298: Trevor Holder | RHP, Georgia

[JJ]

[Bucklin12]

One of UGAs starters. Not great numbers, but it's a very tough conference to pitch in.

54 K's in 78 IP -- 4.60 ERA -- .300 BAA

[Marlins#1]

BA

Georgia’s first starting pitcher went off the board to the Marlins at pick 298. Holder is a righthander with an average fastball but fringe-average secondary stuff. He does have pitchability and a solid track record as he was one of the best pitchers in the Cape Cod League last summer. He will be starting for the Bulldogs this weekend as they host N.C. State in a super-regional.

[tjfla]

He is pitching on ESPN right now


winning 4-2 in 4th

[!NICK!]

The ump just checked his hat for pine tar.

[Bucklin12]

Final line for Holder today against NC State --

8.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO

Got pulled with the bases loaded (thanks to an error and some walks) and two outs in the 9th

[Hugg]

Baseball America

After a strong showing in the Cape Cod League last summer, when he went 4-1, 0.81, Holder was a hot commodity for scouts coming into the season. He allowed only one hit and struck out 10 in eight innings of work in the Cape championship game, earning league playoff MVP honors. A part-time starter for Georgia in 2007, Holder moved into the weekend rotation in 2008 as the Friday night starter. But he has not been overpowering this spring, offering a fairly straight fastball between 89-91 mph and below-average secondary stuff. With less than a strikeout per inning, Holder has not missed many bats and has relied on command and savvy to be successful. He has the ability to pitch to the corners and consistently pounds the zone. Holder has a projectable 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame, but his feel for pitching and track record are what separate him from teammate Stephen Dodson, who has similar stuff, and will make him more attractive on draft day.

[FishFanInPA]

The biggest moment of Trevor Holder's professional career came and went just before noon Friday, and he didn't find out for another three hours. Holder was drafted by the Florida Marlins with the 298th overall pick of the Major League Draft while taking his warm-up pitches moments before the opening game of Georgia's Super Regional. He didn't get the news until after he had carried Georgia through an 11-4 win over North Carolina State in Foley Field. The junior from Birmingham, Ala., pitched a career-best 8 2/3 innings, allowing just seven hits and two earned runs. "It's been a nice day," he said. Holder was disappointed not to be drafted Thursday, when the first six rounds were held. "But (coach David) Perno called me up, and he reminded me of what we are here for, and that's to win the national championship," he said. "He got my head back in the right place." A sellout crowd of 3,517 braved a temperature that was in the mid-90s throughout the game. The Bulldogs (40-22-1) are now one win away from their fourth College World Series appearance this decade. The Wolfpack (41-21) must beat Georgia today at noon and again Sunday at noon to advance. Today's game will be televised by ESPN2. Holder missed the SEC Tournament due to shoulder soreness and, coming into the game had an ERA of 14.65 in his three previous starts, which lasted an average of 3 2/3 innings. The other three Bulldogs who were drafted Friday learned during the game, but Holder didn't find out until afterward. "I guess nobody wanted to (tell me during the game and) mess with the vibe," he said. Holder credited the performance to confidence and control of his changeup, which he threw low all day. "The scouting report said he threw a lot of fastballs, but I thought he mixed it up well," North Carolina State designated hitter Ryan Pond said. Perno removed Holder with two outs in the top of the ninth after two North Carolina State batters reached. Holder had thrown 124 pitches and given up two runs at the time. "That's more (pitches) than we throw," Perno said. "We were ready to pull him after seven. I was happy he pushed as much as he did and then got the ovation he deserved."

Ledger-Enquirer.com | 06/07/2008 | NCAA win only part of Holder's big day

[markotsay7]

Before Trevor Holder blinked, Georgia's starter had given up two home runs to top-ranked Miami. Holder's performance against the Hurricanes was nothing like his last outing. The junior was just one out shy of a complete-game victory over North Carolina State last weekend in Game 1 of the super regional. Against Miami, Holder's woes started when Jemile Weeks slammed a solo homer to right-center field for a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Leadoff man Blake Tekotte hit Miami's second homer, a two-run shot to right field, for a 3-1 lead in the third after Holder allowed a leadoff walk to the No. 9 hitter. After surrendering his second homer, Holder walked two straight before striking out two straight. Allen caught the final out to end the third. In the fourth inning, Holder retired two straight, gave up a single and retired Tekotte. Holder, who was drafted in the 10th round by the Florida Marlins this past week, lasted just four innings and 79 pitches Saturday. He allowed three runs (all earned) on four hits. He walked four batters and struck out five. The last time he had that brief of an appearance was against Louisville in the Athens Regional on May 31. He received a no-decision after allowing up four runs (three earned) on eight hits. He walked one and struck out none.

UGA freshman Allen comes through in crunch time | SavannahNow.com

[Marlins#1]

The Official Site of The Florida Marlins: News: Marlins pick rises to occasion in CWS

In terms of experiences in the Cape Cod League, there might be only one that rivals that of Trevor Holder in 2007. That would be Freddie Prinze Jr.'s in the film "Summer Catch," if only because Jessica Biel starred as his love interest. Holder, however, would probably argue that he belongs as a close second. The Georgia ace spent last summer pitching for the champion Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, playing alongside Bulldogs teammate Gordon Beckham. "It was awesome -- it was the best summer of my life," Holder said. "It was the best I've ever thrown in my life. I really developed as a pitcher up there." The right-hander's development peaked in the championship game, in which the Falmouth Commodores -- who featured a rotation with three first-round picks in Aaron Crow, Christian Friedrich and Shooter Hunt -- opposed Holder and Yarmouth-Dennis. The Red Sox, however, were more known for their offense, which contained Beckham, as well as top 10 Draft picks Buster Posey and Jason Castro. "Everyone up here was talking about how we had a great hitting club, and everyone was talking about Falmouth's pitching against Y-D's hitting, and he out-pitched them all," said Scott Pickler, Holder's coach in the Cape Cod League. "If you could sum [Trevor] up in one word, it would be a gamer." Going against Friedrich, Holder dominated, allowing just one hit over eight scoreless innings. He struck out a career-high 10 batters. "The bigger the game, the better he was," said Pickler. "Some guys get in the championship game and they wilt, and some guys do better." The difference for Holder, at the end of what had been a summer's worth of work, was the development of his changeup. Holder said developing a second pitch that he could rely on was the key to his summer, but the key to the championship game was his adrenaline. "The whole 'big game' -- I just love pitching in that atmosphere," said the Birmingham, Ala., native. "That's what you come to college for." If Holder lived for that moment, then the 2008 season was a trip. Georgia struggled to a 23-33 record in the spring before his Cape experience, a season he called the "most demoralizing year of my life." The Bulldogs found new energy in 2008, and with Holder, Beckham and closer Josh Fields found a way to return to Omaha, where the team had played in 2006. "This is the best big-game team I've ever coached," said Georgia head coach Dave Perno. "Every game we've had to win, every game we've needed to win, they've responded, and Trevor's a big part of that." Big games were a part of Holder's season, and while he was left disappointed with his 4.45 ERA, his eight wins and the time spent in the Friday night ace role were reassuring. Unfortunately, Major League Baseball teams didn't agree on the first day of this year's First-Year Player Draft. After scouts told Holder that he'd likely be taken on Day 1, he sat by the computer and waited, only to see his name not called. "It was kind of a frustrating thing," Holder said. "But Coach Perno called me up that night and said, 'I know you're frustrated, but the reason you came to college is to win a national championship.' It meant a lot to me, that he called me and helped me get my head straight." Running on fumes, Holder went out the next day and threw what he called the best start of his college career. After the outing, Holder found out that the Florida Marlins had taken him in the 10th round. Staying in the south, and being taken by a scout he said he had become close with, saved the experience. That and, of course, making it to the College World Series for a second time. Like any ace, Holder was called on in the first game of the tournament, against the top-seeded Miami Hurricanes. He struggled, pitching just four innings, the high for Georgia's starters in its first three games in Omaha -- all wins. However, in the day before Monday's first championship game, Perno said that he would need more out of Holder and his starters against Fresno State. "We have to get more out of our starters; I'm not going to be so quick to go to the bullpen," he said. So when, in the third inning, Holder took a hard ground ball of the shin after allowing a solo homer, Perno had the right-hander walk around and take a seven-minute break rather than turn to his bullpen. Despite walking with a noticeable limp for most of the night, Holder turned in a fine performance in a no-decision -- seven innings and three earned runs allowed on just four hits. "He laid it out there tonight, to take that shot off his shin and pitch as well as he did," Perno said. "[Going to the bullpen] would have really put us in a pinch. Trevor was outstanding, and pitched like midseason form." The positive outing came as no surprise to Beckham, who saved the Bulldogs from a loss with an eighth-inning home run in the team's 7-6 win. Beckham, of course, had been there the last time Holder had pitched in a championship game, on the Cape. "I have all the faith in Trevor -- I've always thought he was a big-game pitcher, and tonight he showed it," the shortstop said. "I didn't want him to go out on that [Miami] game. I wanted him to go out how he's supposed to." So, in all likelihood, Monday was the last game of Holder's college career, appropriately pitched in a championship game. Even more appropriately, the right-hander went deep into the game, saved the bullpen and the Bulldogs won. The next step, most likely, will be furthering his career with the Florida Marlins, and for Holder, it will be a comfortable change. "I like throwing it to wood a lot more," Holder said. "There's definitely a little more confidence throwing [the changeup] against those wood bats." For Holder to prefer that makes sense. It reminds him of that summer, on the Cape, and of his first championship.

Now that the CWS has ended he will probably sign sometime in the next 2 weeks.

[Marlins#1]

Rivals.com College Baseball - Message Boards

DRAFT SCOOP: What is the latest with Georgia's Trevor Holder? Reply With Georgia pitchers Nathan Moreau and Stephen Dodson recently signing pro contracts, all eyes in Athens have turned to Georgia ace pitcher Trevor Holder, a 10th round selection by the Marlins. First off, I've spoken with a couple of sources very close to the situation, and both believe Holder will return to Georgia for his senior season. Though that has to give Bulldogs a ton of hope, just remember that Holder has until August 15 to sign a pro contract. If this is any indication for Georgia fans, I actually spoke with Trevor Wednesday afternoon, as he was helping out with Georgia's baseball camps. Here's what Holder told me: "I don't really know what's going to happen at this point. I'm not sure if the Marlins are going to increase their offer, so I'm just trying to play it out. I will say this, I have no problem coming back to school, because personally, it's a win-win situation for me." Does Georgia coming one win away from winning the national title play into UGA's favor with Holder? "I definitely feel like I could help put the final piece to the puzzle. There's a lot of talent coming back on this team, I grew a lot with the returning players, and the guys coming back really know what it takes to win the national title." Holder's comments are definitely encouraging for the Bulldogs. We'll see what happens.

Doesn't sound very good.....

[dgriot]

It's probably just a rehash of that same Kendall Rodgers conversation Marlins#1 posted, but a more recent article on Rivals:

MLB Draft: Who's Still On The Board?

Georgia ace pitcher Trevor Holder has been pondering the idea of signing with the Florida Marlins for several weeks, but in a recent conversation I had with him, it seems to me that he's leaning toward a return to school.

[dgriot]

Not looking good

Gregg stays on target -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Signing deadline Friday is the last day 2008 draft picks can sign pro contracts. The Marlins have come to terms with all but one of their top 30 selections. The exception is 10th-rounder Trevor Holder, a right-hander out of Georgia. The Marlins do not expect to sign Holder, who is prepared to return to the Bulldogs for his senior season.

[Marlins#1]

OnlineAthens.com | DogBytes | Baseball | Holder returning; Fields not talking 08/15/08

Trevor Holder is not finished with college baseball. Georgia's starter on Fridays this past season, who was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 10th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft, is returning to the Bulldogs team that finished runner-up in the College World Series. The right-hander, who was the 298th overall pick on June 6, said even if the Marlins contact him in the next 24 hours with a deal, he likely will decline, instead choosing to close out his senior season with the Bulldogs. The deadline to sign is 11:59 tonight. "After the (College) World Series, I took a little time off away from everything," Holder said. "I appreciated the Marlins doing that and letting me have a little space for a little bit after a tough loss. Then, we started negotiating and talking throughout the summer. We talked probably once every two weeks. It was an interesting experience, from my point of view, to go through it. I saw Josh (Fields) go through it last year. I'm going to come back to school. It didn't work out. It wasn't the right fit. I'm just real excited to come back. It's a great opportunity." Holder, who went 8-4 with a 4.41 ERA this past season, said there were several factors that went into his decision. "A little bit had to do with the money," he said. "I told them what it would take for me to sign and we got close to that. It was just one of those things where it didn't feel right." Holder did not want to disclose the dollar amount.