There once was a time when Clay Holmes was one of the top pitching prospects in the Pirate system. In fact, the former 9th round draft pick entered the 2012 season ranked as one of the Pirates’ top 10 prospects.
The reason that Clay Holmes was viewed so highly is due to his great stuff. He possesses a fastball with natural sink and downward movement that sits in the mid-90s. He also throws a changeup and a curveball. His curveball is a power curve that flashes as a dominant out pitch at times, and his changeup continues to improve.