A Healthy Jordan Holloway Eyes Promotion
The Marlins gained a pitcher, but righthander Jordan Holloway may have lost his barber.
That was the upshot of Jordan Yamamoto’s June 12 big league debut, which included seven scoreless innings and a perfectly executed suicide squeeze.
“I’m extremely happy for him,” Holloway said of Yamamoto, a fellow Marlins pitching prospect. “He works his butt off. He’s one of my good buddies—he cuts my hair.”
The 23-year-old Holloway hopes to get his own shot at the majors soon, despite the fact he pitches for high Class A Jupiter. A promotion to Double-A Jacksonville appeared imminent, and he could move quickly from there.
After missing 14 months following Tommy John surgery, Holloway returned to action this year and made the Florida State League all-star team. In 10 first-half starts he recorded a 2.62 ERA with 51 strikeouts and 30 walks in 44.2 innings.
Holloway, who was drafted out of high school in suburban Denver, stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 215 pounds. He was Miami’s 20th-round pick in 2014. He was a New York-Penn League all-star in 2015, but an oblique strain in 2016 and a triceps issue in 2017 derailed him, even before his elbow became a major problem.
“I’ve been hurt a lot,” Holloway said. “I haven’t been able to stay healthy until now.”
Yamamoto’s ascension to the majors—straight from Double-A and at age 23—gives Holloway hope.
Holloway said he is not focused on things he can’t control such as promotions.
But, when pressed, he did say: “It’s exciting to think about. The Marlins have trust in their prospects. I’m not as far away as it might seem to other people.”
Meanwhile, Holloway’s Jupiter club had the worst record in the 12-team FSL at the all-star break. Still, three members of the rotation made the all-star team: Holloway, lefthander Trevor Rogers and righthander Edward Cabrera.
The prospect-laden Hammerheads rotation also included southpaws Braxton Garrett, the seventh overall pick in 2016, and Will Stewart, who was part of the return from the Phillies or J.T. Realmuto.
“We have a good dynamic—we compete against each other,” Holloway said. “We’re always bantering. It’s healthy fun. We’re a close group.”
FISH BITES
— Holloway and Trevor Rogers combined to pitch two hitless innings in the Florida State League all-star game.
— Triple-A New Orleans second baseman Isan Diaz, who had the longest active hit streak in the Pacific Coast League in June, could get a big league callup soon, especially if the Marlins trade Starlin Castro before the July 31 trade deadline.
Comments are closed.