Jack Holley wasn’t going to miss this opportunity.
Not after working this hard.
Cleared to play at the most recent New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series National Combine in Nashville with a hand injury that most players wouldn’t have tried to work through, the Spanish Fort, Alabama native and Georgia State commit earned an invite to the upcoming Main Event at Fenway Park by impressing both with his performance and fortitude in overcoming the adversity he was facing.
It was no surprise to the scouting or development staffs who’ve seen him over the past few years, with “good attitude kid” in his most recent report being much more than just a line to fill the bottom of the page.
“My experience with Future Stars Series has been nothing short of exceptional,” Holley said. “I started back with them almost three years ago and they’ve really given me amazing opportunities to further my baseball career and be the player I am today.”
2024 C, Jack Holley (@JackHolley22) at the Atlanta Regional Combine. Quick to the ball, produced consistent hard contact, and showed an accurate arm.@NB_Baseball @ftrstarsseries #WeGotNow pic.twitter.com/WOycKl6nna
— Future Stars Series Southeast (@fss_southeast) June 7, 2023
A talented catcher who can also play in the outfield — he’s listed as both a backstop and left fielder for the white team — Holley draws strong reviews for his defensive skills behind the dish, but also his athleticism with a strong, wiry, lean body that consistently produces quick actions. Even with that said, since leaving Shelby Park, he’s continued putting in work behind the plate, as well showing continued improvements in the batter’s box.
“I’ve been working on my catch and throw skills to continue to throw out people at a high rate,” he said. “I’ve also been working on my hitting which has really come along these past couple weeks, I’ve just been taking it a day at a time.”
There are three big days coming up for him, however, and he’s grateful for the chance to not only show why he’s considered to be one of the top amateur catchers in the country, but to do so against good competition while playing in front of a long list of major-league scouts and executives who have had this event circled on their respective calendars for months.
“I’m most excited to play some of the top competition that baseball has to offer at Fenway,” Holley said. “I look forward to competing against and with some of the best players the country has to offer, and I’m looking to show them how much my mental game of baseball has improved. Sticking to my process and going about my business in a way that oozes professionalism.”
