Colin Holderman caught our attention this spring and is worth keeping an eye on

Nobody struck out more batters for the New York Mets this spring than Colin Holderman. The 26-year-old righty was a 9th round draft pick back in 2016 by the Mets and has remained somewhat incognito throughout his professional career.

He’s not a top prospect. He may not even start another game for the organization. Something about him, though, has caught the attention of management.

We saw this first when the Mets sent him to play in the Arizona Fall League last autumn. While he did get rocked in his 10.1 innings of work to the tune of an 8.71 ERA, he had a promising regular season in Single-A and Double-A working mostly as a reliever. Could he be an under-the-radar arm we see rise up quickly to the big leagues?

Mets minor league pitcher Colin Holderman is someone to keep tabs on this season

A big hard-thrower, Holderman is more than just the perfectly named setup man who never gives up steals. He started off with an incredibly strong spring, making highlight reels with how hard he could throw.

Hitting 99 or even 100 on the radar gun isn’t quite as unique as it used to be. And as we’re experiencing with Jacob deGrom, it’s not always best for the health of a player.

However, if the Mets intend for Holderman to continue on as a reliever, it’s a little different. They can go all-out a little more because of the limited number of pitches they have a night. Already an alumnus of Tommy John Surgery, Holderman may get to experience the benefits of modern medicine and continue forward with a newly constructed throwing arm.

Although he isn’t a member of the 40-man roster, Holderman is the kind of guy who could push his way there sooner rather than later. The Mets have several key relievers headed to free agency next winter. If they can get even guy from the minor leagues to become a reliable arm out of their bullpen by 2023, consider it a win.