Inside Look: Clay Holmes
Teachers always emphasize the importance of a good education. A good education propels an individual into a college or university where he or she can take their next big step in life. As 2011 class valedictorian, Clay Holmes epitomized what his teachers at Slocomb High School in Alabama preached.
"My favorite subject was probably physics," Holmes said. "It combined both science and math which are real world stuff. When we connected it to baseball, it made things even more interesting."
For Holmes, graduating as valedictorian should have helped him get to that next level in life. Instead, standing 6 feet 5 inches and throwing a 95 mile per hour fastball with a sharp three-quarters curveball helped.
Originally committed to Auburn University, Holmes signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates after being drafted in the 9th round of the 2011 MLB Draft. The right-handed pitcher is currently ranked as the 10th best prospect in the Pirates organization according to Baseball America.
"(My parents) wanted what's best for me," Holmes said. "They wanted me to follow what my passion was and I always wanted to play baseball. I'm taking this opportunity and doing the best I can with it."
Holmes was scouted by and signed by Darren Mazeroski, the son of Pirates legend Bill Mazeroski.
"It's hard to find a better guy than (Darren)," Holmes said. "I can tell he cared about me and my career, and wanted me to do what's best for me. He definitely did a lot for me and we talked about his dad a bit too
Holmes excelled in his first season as a professional with the State College Spikes of the New York-Penn League. He collected five wins and held opponents to a .176 average in 13 games.
2013 hasn't treated Holmes as well as 2012, as he's shown some control issues. However, scouts praise Holmes for his maturity and his competitiveness. West Virginia Power pitching coach Jeff Johnson continues to work with Holmes, but Holmes admits Johnson works with him on more than just mechanics.
"Developing that right mentality of where my thoughts should be is the main thing right now," Holmes said. "For me, when I start analyzing and thinking on the mound, I'm not at my best."