Former Western Carolina University (WCU) Reliever Greg Holland Becomes First Catamount Player To Be Named To Major League Baseball (MLB) All Star Game

MLB announced Sunday that former Catamount reliever and current Kansas City Royals closer, Greg Holland will replace Seattle Mariners starter Hisashi Iwakuma on the American League All-Star roster.
 
That makes Holland the first Catamount baseball player to earn a bid to the All-Star Game. This year's game will be played tomorrow, Tuesday, July 16 at Citi Field in New York City.


Holland has dominated opposing hitters in the first half of this season, posting a 1.80 ERA with 22 saves over 35 innings. He has struck out a league leading 44 percent of the batters he has faced this season, and has struck out the side six separate times.

Originally from Marion, N.C., Holland played his prep ball at McDowell High School before receiving a scholarship to attend WCU. At Western, he recorded 19 saves from 2005-07, currently fifth in program history. He also posted 10 career victories in his 82 career appearances, completing his career with a 4.22 career ERA in 149.1 innings pitched. He had 154 career strikeouts and only 70 walks in his career with the Cats.

Holland posted a career-best 10 saves in earning first team All-Southern Conference honors in 2007 as the Catamounts tied for the regular season title. He was also named to the SoCon's Spring Academic All-Conference team twice in both 2006 and 2007.

Holland was drafted by Kansas City in the 10th round of the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft after WCU finished runner-up in the NCAA Baseball Chapel Hill regional. He made his Major League debut on August 2, 2010 against the Oakland Athletics.