RADIO
Clay Holmes 2023 Player Outlook: Uneven Season Offers Elite Upside At Discounted Price
2 years agoNew York Yankees relief pitcher Clay Holmes began last season as a man possessed as he allowed only one earned run through his first 30 appearances, picking up 11 saves in that span. Through June, Holmes had a WHIP under 0.90, a batting average against under .180, and logged over a strikeout-per-inning as the Yankee closer earned an All-Star game appearance. The wheels fell off in the second half, however, as Holmes pitched to a ghastly 4.31 ERA after the break and was removed from the closer role. The inherent small sample size with relievers always leads to some risk of poor stretches, but his elite skill-based metrics insist Holmes is closer to the pitcher he was at the start of last season. Holmes finished in the 90th percentile or better in xBA, xwOBA, and xSLG, and barrel avoidance. His 42.6% whiff rate on his slider is elite as his sinker/slider mix remains the ideal profile for a high-leverage reliever. Holmes should enter Spring Training as the favorite for saves in New York and offers RP1 upside for a suppressed average draft position in the 160 overall range.
