J.C. Holt Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1999
AVG	.277
OBP	.342
SLG	.349
HR	7

Full name John Curtis Holt
Born 12/08/1982 in Alexandria, LA
Profile Ht.: 5'9" / Wt.: 175 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Louisiana State
Drafted in the 3rd round (101st overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2004 (signed for $380,000).

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Teams looking for a speedy top-of-the-order hitter will be attracted to Holt. Though he's just 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, he has enough strength to keep pitchers honest. Using an opposite-field approach, he won the Cape Cod League batting title at .388 last summer and was hitting .397 with an SEC-leading 66 runs through 58 games. Once he gets to first base, Holt is a basestealing threat with his plus-plus speed and stole 18 bases in 20 attempts. He won state high school titles in the 100 meters, 200 meters and triple jump, and he can go from the left side to first base in 4.05 seconds. He draws walks, and if he can show more patience he'll be a perfect leadoff man. Defensively, Holt has plus range but a below-average arm in center field. He played second base as a freshman and could get a look there as a pro.

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In each of his two full pro seasons, Holt has struggled offensively during the first half before recovering in the second half. Last year, he set a high Class A Myrtle Beach record with a 20-game hitting streak and hit safely in 50 of his final 59 games. The Braves have worked on closing his wide-open stance, and the results have been mixed. A Louisiana high school state sprint champion, he simply has to do a better job of getting on base to use his speed. He's a plus-plus runner who swiped 35 bases in 40 tries last year, but he has just a .327 on-base percent in full-season leagues. He doesn't offer much power at the plate, but he can show more patience and draw more walks. A center fielder at Louisiana State, he has made strides since moving to second base as a pro. Managers rated him the best defensive second baseman in the Carolina League last year. He did a better job of reading balls off the bat and became much steadier in turning the double play. Holt is now 24 and has yet to play above high Class A, so his window of opportunity is starting to close. He needs to have a steady and productive season in Double-A this year.
Holt displayed impressive resiliency last season after getting off to a rough start in low Class A. He struggled initially while the Braves worked with him to close the wide-open stance he had used to star at Louisiana State and win the 2003 Cape Cod League batting title with a .388 average. Hitting just .212 in early July, he batted .348 the rest of the way to finish at .268. He needs to tighten his strike zone to take better advantage of his speed. A Louisiana high school sprint champion, he can get down the first-base line in 4.0 seconds from the left side. In addition to his changes at the plate, Holt has had some difficulty with the move from center field to second base, a position he played in college as a freshman. Though he has made strides with the pivot, he needs to get better at reading groundballs off the bat. His footwork also needs an upgrade, but his arm strength and accuracy are sufficient. Thanks to his solid second half, he'll advance to high Class A this season.
A center fielder during his last two years at Louisiana State, Holt returned to second base after signing for $380,000 as a third-round pick last June. He played the position as a college freshman and displayed solid ability there as a pro. Holt made all the plays to his left and showed good overall range and a decent arm. Not surprisingly, he needs work on going up the middle as well as his double-play pivot. He also needs to make the adjustments to the speed of the game on defense. Offensively, Holt is a speed-oriented player who makes consistent contact with the ability to drive the ball from gap to gap. He's a proven hitter with wood bats, winning the 2003 Cape Cod League batting title at .388, so it was no surprise he hit .321 in his pro debut. His strike-zone judgment is decent and should get better with experience. A former Louisiana high school sprint champion, Holt has the quickness and savvy to steal 30 bases annually. He's a potential leadoff hitter who should reach high Class A at some point in 2005.

Minor League Top Prospects

Holt's transition from college outfielder to pro second baseman wasn't completely seamless, but he showed some aptitude. Holt, who played second as a freshman at Louisiana State, makes all the routine plays and moves well to his left. He must improve on getting to balls up the middle, knowing when to charge grounders and turning double plays. Holt's offensive game has translated nicely from college. He controls the bat well, uses a short line-drive stroke and hits balls from gap to gap. His plus speed plays a grade higher because of his baserunning skills and instincts. "He's a tough out," Odor said. "He makes a lot of contact and finds a way to get on. He has the ability to steal 30 to 40 bases in a full season."