Scott Holcomb (minors01)

Scott Alan Holcomb

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 1", Weight 170 lb.
• High School El Dorado High School (Placentia)

• Born August 23, 1968 in St. Joseph, MO USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Scott Holcomb was not drafted coming out of high school but still managed to have an eight-year career in the minor leagues. Teams had passed on him in the 1986 amateur draft because he had signed a letter of intent to attend Oral Roberts University, but the Oakland Athletics got him to drop that commitment and signed him as an amateur free agent. He began that professional career in 1986 with the Medford A's of the Northwest League, going 1-2, 2.94 in 12 games and earning a late-season promotion to the Madison Muskies in the Midwest League. In 1987, he was 12-6, 3.38 with the Modesto A's of the California League to establish himself as a legitimate prospect. He struck out 111 batters in 151 2/3 innings that season, both totals that would turn out to be career highs.

In 1988, he spent a full season in AA with the Huntsville Stars of the Southern League but fell back to 4-10, 4.78 in 17 starts. In 1989, he began a gradual transition to the bullpen, making 6 starts in 39 appearances between Huntsville and the AAA Tacoma Tigers of the Pacific Coast League, going a combined 4-6, 4.71 with 3 saves. Just as the season was winding down on August 30th, he was traded to the New York Yankees in return for slugger Ken Phelps. The Yankees had given up top prospect Jay Buhner to acquire Phelps a year earlier in a move they would later rue, but Holcomb would remain an obscure minor leaguer after the trade.

In his first season in the Yankees' system in 1990, injuries limited him to just 8 games between the AA Albany-Colonie Yankees and AAA Columbus Clippers. In the International League, he allowed 2 earned runs without retiring anyone in his two appearances, for an infinite ERA. In 1991, he pitched 10 times in the Carolina League for the Prince William Cannons before returning to AA Albany-Colonie, where he went 4-1, 1.41 in 26 games. Still only 23, he pitched a personal high 54 times between AA and AAA in 1992, going 3-2, 3.04 with 68 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings. Only his 42 walks kept him from getting a shot at the Show at that point. In 1993, he joined the Cincinnati Reds organization, but injuries got the best of him again, as he was limited to 6 outings with the Chattanooga Lookouts of the AA Southern League, finishing at 0-2, 13.50.

His younger brother Shawn Holcomb also pitched in the minor leagues.