David Holmberg

David Andrew Holmberg

• Bats Right, Throws Left
• Height 6' 3", Weight 225 lb.
• High School Port Charlotte High School
• Debut August 27, 2013
• Final Game September 29, 2017
• Born July 19, 1991 in Port Charlotte, FL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

David Holmberg made the majors in 2013.

After going 7-0 with an 0.22 ERA as a high school senior, Holmberg was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the second round of the 2009 amateur draft. The 71st overall pick, he was Chicago's 4th, following Jared Mitchell, Josh Phegley and Trayce Thompson. The scout was Joe Siers. Holmberg made his pro debut that summer with the Bristol White Sox, going 2-2 with a 4.72 ERA in 14 games. Baseball America rated him as the #6 Appalachian League prospect (between Gabriel Noriega and John Lamb) and #8 in the White Sox chain. He started 2010 slowly (1-1, 4.46) for the Great Falls Voyagers. On July 30, 2010, he was traded along with Daniel Hudson to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Edwin Jackson.

Assigned to the Missoula Osprey after the deal, he had a 1-4, 3.86 record the remainder of the way. He tied for 10th in the Pioneer League in losses, was third with 99 hits allowed and ranked 4th with 76 strikeouts. Baseball America listed him as the 15th-best prospect in the loop, between Jimmy Nelson and Robby Rowland. At age 19, he made major progress in 2011 with the South Bend Silver Hawks (8-3, 2.39, 81 K, .94 WHIP in 83 IP) and Visalia Oaks (4-6, 4.67, 76 K in 71 1/3 IP). He tied Tommy Layne for the most wins in the D-backs chain and was second to Tyler Skaggs in Ks. Baseball America ranked him as Arizona's #7 prospect going into 2012 and as the Midwest League's #20 prospect.

In 2012, Holmberg was 6-3 with a 2.99 ERA for Visalia and 5-5 with a 3.60 ERA for the Mobile BayBears, then had a 1-0, 1.98 record in the postseason to help Mobile to the Southern League title. He tied Charles Brewer for 4th in the Arizona chain in wins and tied Anthony Meo for second in strikeouts (four behind Trevor Bauer). Baseball America rated him as the California League's 13th-best prospect, between Chris Owings and Domingo Santana).

He began the 2013 season back with Mobile and was 5-7 with a 2.66 ERA, putting him near the top of the SL in ERA. Arizona called him up, being short-handed after starter Trevor Cahill had worked four innings of an 18-inning marathon. Facing the San Diego Padres in his major league debut on [[August 27]th, Holmberg had a rough time. He allowed hits to the first four batters (Chris Denorfia, Will Venable, Jedd Gyorko and Chase Headley) then walked Yonder Alonso before getting his first out, Logan Forsythe. A sacrifice fly by Nick Hundley put Arizona in a quick 3-0 hole against San Diego. Holmberg recovered somewhat to allow two hits, two walks and no runs in the next 3 innings before being relieved by Josh Collmenter. In his first at-bat, David fanned against Ian Kennedy. He did not get the loss as Arizona rallied for a 10-9, 10-inning win and he was sent back to the minors after the game. It was his only big league appearance of the season. On December 3rd, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in return for C Ryan Hanigan, who was immediately flipped to the Tampa Bay Rays along with P Heath Bell.

Holmberg recorded his first big league win on September 13, 2014, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-1. He had made two spot starts for the Reds earlier that summer, but had been hit hard both times, not getting out of the 3rd inning in either game. He had also made a couple of relief appearances in September, which had gone much better, including pitching 5 2/3 innings of scoreless relief against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 8th.

Sources

• 2013 Diamondbacks Media Guide

Related Sites

• David Holmberg on mlb.com
• BR Minors page