Wilson grad Luke Holman relishes pitching on the big stage at LSU
2024 Berks baseball coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Luke Holman has never shied away from the spotlight.
When he pitched at Wilson he twice took the ball in district championship games and flourished, striking out 12 batters to beat Hempfield his sophomore year, then combining on a one-hitter in a title-game victory over Gov. Mifflin as a senior.
When he entered the NCAA transfer portal following last season he had his sights set on the brightest light in college baseball: Louisiana State.
“I always like to put myself on a big stage,” said Holman, “showing how tough I really am, mentally and physically.”
Holman, who pitched his first two seasons at Alabama, longed for a chance to pitch for one of the elite programs in the nation.
Tigers coach Jay Johnson, knowing he had a major rebuild forthcoming, wanted Holman to lead his rotation. Throughout LSU’s run to the 2023 national championship he reached out to the 6-4 right-hander.
The Tigers were loaded last year. Their roster included 13 players who would eventually be taken in Major League Baseball’s First Year Player Draft, among them Golden Spikes winner Dylan Crews and right-hander Paul Skenes, the top two picks in the draft.
Holman knew going in that people would be expecting big things from him as he took Skenes’ spot at the top of the rotation.
“(There are) a lot more eyes on you here,” said Holman. “It’s a good challenge for me, coming in, filling big shoes, going out there and doing what I’m supposed to do. I don’t back off on anything. I always loved taking on that role and I feel like I’ve done a good job so far with it.”
The start of Holman’s junior season was sensational. He won his first four starts and didn’t allow a run. He was named National Pitcher of the Month for February by the Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Things haven’t gone quite as well since the start of league play for Holman or for the Tigers, who are 26-16 overall but just 5-13 in Southeast Conference play. Only Auburn has a worse record in league play.
“I feel I’ve done what I can,” said Holman, who is 6-3 in 10 starts with a 2.78 ERA. “As a team, we’re not where we want to be. Getting into SEC play was a wake-up call (for us). Baseball’s hard; this conference is hard. Every win is tough. We have a lot of work to do to get back on track.”
Holman is expected to pitch next against Auburn Saturday in Baton Rouge.
He’ll enter that game ranked third in the league in both strikeouts (79) and innings pitched (55). He has allowed just 36 hits and walked only 18 and surrendered only three home runs.
The highlight of his season came March 22 in a 6-1 win over Florida when he struck out a career-high 13 and allowed just one hit over six innings.
Earlier, he struck out 12 over 5 2/3 innings in a 6-3 win at Texas.
Johnson has liked what he’s seen.
“Fastball command to all four quadrants, curve ball, slider, change up,” Johnson said of Holman. “It’s in and out, up and down, changing speeds. It’s a lot, trust me. As an offensive coach, it’s a lot to deal with.”
The win over Florida came before 12,500 fans; the Tigers have one of the best followings in college baseball and always fill Skip Bertman Field for weekend games.
“The fans are amazing here,” Holman said. “LSU baseball is big.”
That’s what Holman was seeking when he left Alabama. He did well with the Crimson Tide – he went 7-4 with a 3.67 ERA and 87 strikeouts over 81 innings – but wanted a better showcase for his talents.
He was the No. 1 pitcher in the portal last spring and could’ve gone anywhere in the country. He wanted to stay in the SEC; the only schools he visited were Tennessee and Mississippi State.
He probably had his heart set on LSU going into the process; he said he wanted to sign with the Tigers coming out of Wilson but was concerned that head coach Paul Mainieri might not stay with the program; Mainieri did, in fact, retire following the 2021 season.
Holman has perhaps four more starts remaining with the Tigers before the SEC Tournament. Then his thoughts will turn to the MLB draft.
He went 7-1 with an 0.88 ERA and 113 strikeouts over 55 2/3 innings as a senior with the Bulldogs and was rated as the 172nd-best prospect in the draft according to MLB.com.
He had an offer from the Chicago Cubs to go in the third round out of high school but turned down a reported $800,000; he was looking for a $1 million bonus.
He figures to get three or four times that much come July. The 21-year-old is currently ranked No. 35 in the 2024 draft class by MLB.com. Draft expert Keith Law of The Athletic has him ranked No. 40.
“Holman works 91-94 with a slider that’s missed a ton of bats this year,” Law wrote. “He has a curveball as his third pitch but no real weapon for lefties yet. He shows solid control and repeats his short arm action well enough to start.”
Skenes, the overall No. 1 pick in 2023, drew a $9.2 million bonus from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The top 17 players signed for $4 million or more. Aidan Miller, taken 27th by the Philadelphia Phillies, got a $3.1 bonus.
For now Holman says he isn’t thinking about the draft. He continues to refine his split-fingered fastball, a pitch he added to his repertoire this season. It compliments his big-breaking curve and his slider, which has become his best pitch.
“My mindset is: Stay focused, day by day,” Holman said. “If you put your work in it’ll take care of what’s in front of you two months from now. I let the draft analysts handle that type of stuff and I focus on what’s in front of me right now.”
