Trevor Holder
by Michael Seale

College baseball fans who did not already know who Trevor Holder was needed only to watch the 2008 College World Series to find out about the University of Georgia's ace pitcher, as the SEC champion Bulldogs advanced to the finals of the CWS on the strength of Holder's arm. But Mountain Brook sports fans likely already knew how special a player Holder is.

The 2005 Most Valuable Player for the Spartans as a senior at MBHS, Holder struck out 72 batters and only walked 25, while posting a 2.50 ERA. Those impressive numbers earned him a scholarship to UGA, where he quickly made an impact on the Bulldog staff. Holder's first collegiate start was a 6 inning shutout performance, and he helped lead the Bulldogs to the College World Series that year, going 2-0 in the post-season with a microscopic 0.87 ERA.

Holder's sophomore season was even more successful, as he struck out a team-high 60 batters, including 7 K's against 7th-ranked South Carolina. Holder has emerged as the go-to starter for Georgia, starting 17 games in 2008, and earning All-SEC honors in his junior year. he was Georgia's opening day starter in 2008 and defeated top-ranked Arizona that day, starting off a season that not only included an SEC championship and College World Series Finals berth, but also saw him post 68 strikeouts to only 31 walks. He also took a no-hitter into the 7th inning in 2008.

Holder's phenomenal 2008 season did not go unnoticed by major League baseball scouts. He was a 10th round draft pick of the Florida Marlins in 2008, but he has chosen to stay at UGA for his senior season. Holder said he is hopes he can build on the success of his previous seasons at Georgia, and possibly even improve his standing in the 2009 MLB draft. he said he has fond memories of playing in Mountain Brook Athletics, and raves about the experiences he had growing up in the MBA system.

"I loved the Mountain Brook system and enjoyed playing baseball there so much," Holder said. "Having all the fields there created a good atmosphere for everyone and I enjoyed it so much." Holder has echoed the sentiments of many ballplayers who have made it to the next level, in saying that playing MBA made the sport "fun," which is important. "The thing I remember the most about those days was just how much fun baseball was, because there were so many of my friends and different guys that I met throughout my years there," Holder added. "Because of all the different elementary schools, it was a great way to meet guys from all around Mtn. Brook and I enjoyed it so much."

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