North Bend graduate Bridger Holmes was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the seventh round of last week’s Major League Baseball draft, becoming the sixth player from North Bend High School to be drafted in the last 40 years and the highest ever from the school in the traditional June draft.
Holmes’ selection followed a sensational junior season with Oregon State University, after which he was recognized as an All-American by four of the five national publications that cover college baseball, along with a host of other awards.
The 202nd overall pick, Holmes finished this season with a 3-4 record and a 1.96 earned run average. His 13 saves was most in the Pac-12 conference and he was one of 10 finalists for the Stopper of the Year award.
Holmes signed with the Angels last week and reported to their spring training site in Arizona over the weekend.
When the Angels called him early on the second day of the draft, it was the culmination of a stretch that included losing all of his junior baseball season and the bulk of his senior season at North Bend to the Coronavirus pandemic.
“That covid stuff really messed things up,” Holmes said. “I wasn’t able to get on the field at all. It put me in a spot where I didn’t have a lot of options (for college).”
He considered Southwestern Oregon Community College and Lane Community College in Eugene before ultimately picking Feather River Junior College in California, a school known for getting players to four-year schools.
At Feather River, he embraced hitting the weight room to get stronger for the first time and enjoyed specialized coaching. Holmes praised longtime North Bend coach Brad Horning, but said the college coaching staff helped him develop as a pitcher.
“You’ve got specific pitching guys who have done it in college and the pros,” he said.
Holmes improved his speed and technique during two all-league seasons at Feather River, which set him up to join the Beavers last fall.
His dad, Garrett, played football for the University of Oregon, but his uncle, Tom, played football for Oregon State and Holmes always liked the Beavers because of the school’s rich baseball history including three national championships.
When he arrived in Corvallis, he was in awe at first, being part of that program.
“I was like, ‘Wow, I’m at Oregon State,’” he said. “I was thinking of that more than my performance.”
That changed quickly.
“My coaches said, ‘You are here for a reason. You’re a part of this now. You have a chance to be a big contributor for our team.’”
Holmes quickly bonded with his teammates.
“Once I settled in, they gave me a bunch of confidence that I’m here for a reason,” he said. “It kind of took off from there.”
Holmes got a break when the team’s expected closer suffered an injury early in the year. By the second week of the season he had emerged in that spot and he went on to have a stellar season.
“I was kind of next man up for that position,” he said. “Once I showed I could perform, there was no turning back.”
Holmes proved he had the mental toughness for the demanding position and had an all-star season for a program that was in the top 10 most of the season before ultimately losing to Kentucky in the NCAA super regionals one round short of the College World Series.
“It was lots of fun, but lots of stress,” he said. “It was a great time, playing with great players and learning.
“I’ve learned so much (at Oregon State), not only as a baseball player, but as a human. It was definitely one of the biggest steps I’ve taken.”
The postseason accolades, including all-conference honors from the Pac-12 and all the All-American nods from NCBWA, D1Baseball.com, the ABCA and Perfect Game, came as a surprise.
“That was pretty cool,” he said. “My one goal I had in the preseason was to be an Academic All-American. I knew that was reachable for me. I was a 4-point student.
“The All-American nod from four different sites was pretty awesome. That was something I never saw myself getting into this year.”
He got the Academic All-American honor, too, despite a B during spring term in 1820-1920 history.
Holmes has been working toward a double degree in history and education social studies.
“When everything is all said and done with baseball, I’d like to do something with coaching, and possibly teach, too,” he said.
He has four or five semesters left, and the Angels will pay for the rest of his education, with most of it coming during fall terms in on-line learning.
Meanwhile, he turns his focus to professional baseball.
That also was something he wasn’t expecting when the season started — he thought he would be at Oregon State for two years.
“Once I started throwing good, I would say maybe a third of the way into the season, there was a chance I could get drafted. Late in the season, I thought I could go in the higher rounds. It definitely happened quick, but in a good way.”
Holmes was one of seven players from Oregon State’s team this year who were drafted, including five in the first seven rounds.
Travis Bazzana became the second OSU player (along with Adley Rutschman) and first second baseman to be drafted first overall when he was picked by the Cleveland Guardians.
Aiden May was taken in the second round by Miami, Jacob Kmatz was chosen in the fifth round by Tampa Bay, Elijah Hainline was picked in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Mason Guerra was picked in the 14th round by Atlanta and Micah McDowell was picked in the 17th round by Miami.
North Bend’s other players who have been taken in the draft include Dell Carter, who was picked in the seventh round of the old January draft by Boston in 1985; Jason Younker, who was taken in the 18th round by Toronto in 1986; Donny Harrel, who was taken in the 18th round by Kansas City in 1990; Rocky Murray, who was picked in the 45th round by Montreal in 1991; and Bryce Weidman, who was taken in the 14th round by Pittsburgh in 2010.
Carter was playing for Carter Reedley College in California, Harrel was playing at Taft College in California and Weidman was playing for SWOCC.
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