Colin Holderman

Lore & Background

Holderman graduated from Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School in Bradley, Illinois, in 2014. He enrolled at Southern Illinois University, then transferred to Heartland Community College, where he was named the National Junior College Athletic Association's Division II Baseball Player of the Year. He committed to Mississippi State University but signed with the New York Mets after being selected in the ninth round of the 2016 MLB draft. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018 and missed that season. He made his MLB debut with the Mets on May 15, 2022. On July 22, 2022, the Mets traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates. On December 11, 2025, he signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Cleveland Guardians.

In Their Own Story

The humidity hangs heavy over Great American Ball Park as the seventh inning begins. With a runner on second and two outs, the manager signals for Holderman. He walks out from the bullpen tunnel, glove raised to acknowledge the roar of the crowd. Stepping onto the rubber, he wipes his hands with dirt, eyes locking onto the batter in the box. The first pitch is a blur—a 98-mph fastball that cuts across the plate like lightning—ending the threat and silencing the opposition for another inning.

Reader's Guide

Holderman is a right-handed relief pitcher. He has served as a closer in the minors and has pitched immaculate innings in the majors. He has no history with the Cincinnati Reds.

Did You Know?

• Holderman pitched an immaculate inning for the Pirates on May 4, 2023, against the Tampa Bay Rays.
• He was hospitalized with a severe case of Influenza A virus in March 2024.
• Holderman and his wife had a daughter named Tanner in November 2023.