We’re going back to the pitching staff with today’s Season In Review series, taking a look back at a high-ceiling bullpen arm that had a tough time during his rookie campaign. Right-hander Grant Holman only made it into a couple dozen games this past year before suffering a couple of injuries that put an early end to his rookie season.
How was he acquired?
We got another drafted player here. After spending three years as a starter for the Berkeley Bears, the A’s selected him in the 6th round of the 2021
draft and he elected to forgo his final season in college to instead begin his pro career.
What were the expectations?
While he’d been primarily a starting pitcher in college, he only remained in that role in the Athletics’ organization for his first year in the system. The hope was that a move to a relief role could make his “stuff” play up. His first season in the bullpen didn’t go all that great as evidenced by a 5.45 ERA at Double-A, but he was also racking up the strikeouts at a quick pace.
Then something must have absolutely clicked for Holman during that offseason. He started the year back at Double-A but was now untouchable, quickly earning a promotion to Las Vegas and continuing his strong campaign there against tougher competition in a tougher environment. With the A’s in need of bullpen reinforcements he got the call on August 16th and wound up making 18 appearances over the rest of the season for the big league club, though allowing 7 earned runs in 15 2/3 frames.
Entering 2025 the hope was that Holman could be a surprise weapon for Mark Kotsay out of the bullpen. He’d held his own in his first taste of The Show and at 25 was perhaps growing into his own as a reliever.
2025 Results
Holman began the year with a decent enough shot to break camp with the team, but the fact that he had options remaining worked against his favor. He allowed just a pair of runs in six innings during Spring Training but also collected just six punchouts and he was ultimately optioned to Triple-A to begin the season.
He wouldn’t remain there for long. He got the call back up to the big league squad in late April and immediately fit right in as another right-handed option for Kotsay. Over his first 12 appearances he allowed just one earned run while also posting a 8/3 K/BB ratio.
Then things began falling apart for Holman. He got absolutely demolished in an appearance against the Angels in late May, allowing five runs and adding three runs to his season ERA. Over his final seven games he yielded seven runs and just wasn’t looking the same. Apparently he was fighting through an injury to his shoulder, an injury that ultimately sent the righty to the IL. And while the shoulder eventually healed and got better, he would later develop a strain in the middle finger of his throwing hand, and those two injuries combined to help put an early end to Holman’s season.
2026 Outlook
The right-hander remains with the team and on the 40-man roster, and by all accounts is now healthy and ready to compete for a bullpen job come spring. The current makeup of the bullpen is heavily right-handed though and he’s closer to the bottom of the current pecking order. And this is before any outside additions to a unit that is desperate for reinforcements. Unless Holman just dazzles during camp he’s likely set to begin next season as a depth option down in Triple-A, but we’ll almost certainly be seeing him suit up for the A’s at some point next year and he could earn a more permanent job if he resembles the pitcher that fired off 12 strong appearances to start the year.
