Colin Holderman Bio
Colin Scott Holderman (born October 8, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). A right-handed reliever, he has pitched in the major leagues for the New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cleveland Guardians since debuting in 2022.
Originally drafted by the New York Mets in 2016, Holderman worked his way through the minor leagues before reaching the big leagues in 2022. He later spent parts of four seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates before signing with the Cleveland Guardians in December 2025.
Early Life and Background
Colin Scott Holderman was born on October 8, 1995, in Bradley, Illinois, a small community in Kankakee County. He grew up in the same area where he later attended high school and developed his early interest in baseball.
Holderman was raised alongside an older sister, Taylor, who has Angelman syndrome, a younger brother named Casey, and a younger sister named Cassidy. His family background and upbringing in central Illinois helped shape his path toward competitive athletics from a young age.
Path to Professional Baseball
Holderman graduated from Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School in Bradley, Illinois, in 2014. He then enrolled at Southern Illinois University, where he played college baseball for the Southern Illinois Salukis during his freshman year.
After one season at Southern Illinois, Holderman transferred to Heartland Community College. While at Heartland, he was named the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Division II Baseball Player of the Year, a major accomplishment that drew national attention. Following that standout season, he committed to transfer to Mississippi State University, but his professional plans changed when the MLB Draft arrived.
Colin Holderman Career
Early Career (2016–2021)
The New York Mets selected Holderman in the ninth round, 280th overall, of the 2016 MLB Draft. Rather than transfer to Mississippi State, he signed with the Mets and began his professional career with the Kingsport Mets of the Rookie-level Appalachian League. He started the 2017 season with the Columbia Fireflies of the Single-A South Atlantic League, but on April 4, 2018, he underwent Tommy John surgery, which forced him to miss the entire 2018 season.
Holderman returned in 2019 and pitched across three affiliates, the Low-A Brooklyn Cyclones, Columbia, and the High-A St. Lucie Mets, going 4–2 with a 3.53 ERA and 49 strikeouts over 66 and one-third innings. He did not play in 2020 because the minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he pitched for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies, posting a 3.38 ERA while serving as the team’s closer.
New York Mets (2022)
Holderman began the 2022 season with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. On May 15, 2022, the Mets promoted him to the major leagues, and he made his MLB debut that afternoon at Citi Field. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners, marking a successful first appearance at the highest level.
His time in the Mets organization ended later that summer. On July 22, 2022, the Mets traded Holderman to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Daniel Vogelbach, ending his tenure with the franchise that originally drafted him.
Pittsburgh Pirates Era (2022–2025)
After the trade, the Pirates assigned Holderman to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians before promoting him to the majors on August 2, 2022. In nine appearances down the stretch, he went 1–0 with a 6.75 ERA and six strikeouts across 10 and two-thirds innings. The following year, on May 4, 2023, he pitched an immaculate inning against the Tampa Bay Rays, retiring Taylor Walls, Luke Raley, and Christian Bethancourt in order on just nine pitches. Across 58 relief appearances in 2023, he went 0–3 with a 3.86 ERA, 58 strikeouts, and two saves in 56 innings.
Holderman made 55 relief appearances for Pittsburgh in 2024, finishing 3–6 with a 3.16 ERA and 56 strikeouts over 51 and one-third innings. He struggled in 2025, going 0–2 with a 7.01 ERA in 24 appearances. On November 18, 2025, Pittsburgh designated him for assignment, and three days later he was non-tendered and became a free agent.
Cleveland Guardians Era (2025–Present)
On December 11, 2025, Holderman signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Cleveland Guardians, joining a new organization looking to add bullpen depth. The contract covers the 2025 season, marking the next chapter of his major league career.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Holderman’s career came on May 4, 2023, when he recorded an immaculate inning against the Tampa Bay Rays, needing only nine pitches to retire three consecutive batters. His MLB debut on May 15, 2022, when he tossed a scoreless ninth inning at Citi Field, is another career highlight.
Colin Holderman Career Wins
Across his MLB career, Colin Holderman has accumulated relief wins and a pair of saves, primarily serving as a late-inning option out of the bullpen. His win total reflects his role as a dependable middle or setup reliever rather than a traditional starting pitcher.
MLB Highlights
Holderman recorded his first major league win during the 2022 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, going 1–0 in nine relief appearances. He added three more wins in 2024, finishing that season 3–6 with a strong 3.16 ERA, and he also notched two saves during the 2023 season.
Colin Holderman Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Holderman was raised with an older sister, Taylor, who has Angelman syndrome, a younger brother named Casey, and a younger sister named Cassidy. His family has been a central part of his life and career, and he has spoken about the influence of growing up in a close-knit household in central Illinois.
Holderman married his wife, Casey Spence, in December 2020. In May 2023, the couple announced they were expecting a child, and in November 2023, they welcomed a daughter named Tanner. In March 2024, Holderman was hospitalized with a severe case of Influenza A virus, an ordeal he recovered from in time to return to the mound later that season.
2025 Season Performance
Holderman’s 2025 season was a difficult one. He appeared in 24 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates, going 0–2 with a 7.01 ERA, 18 strikeouts, and one save across 25 and two-thirds innings. The elevated ERA and limited results signaled a step back from his 2024 performance.
Following the campaign, the Pirates designated Holderman for assignment on November 18, 2025, and non-tendered him on November 21, making him a free agent. Just three weeks later, on December 11, 2025, he signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Cleveland Guardians, giving him an opportunity to reset his career with a new club.
Heading into the 2025 season with Cleveland, Holderman will look to re-establish the form he showed in 2023 and 2024, when he posted ERAs of 3.86 and 3.16, respectively. A return to consistent mechanics and improved results against right-handed hitters will be key to locking down a meaningful role in the Guardians’ bullpen.