‘He finds a way to outwork others’: All-around player Holmstrom leading Grove City baseball
Friday, April 5, 2024
By Scott Gerfen
sgerfen@cbussports.com
Grove City southpaw Keegan Holmstrom, an Ohio State commit, has been around the Greyhound program since he was a youngster. File photo
Keegan Holmstrom’s introduction to the Grove City baseball team included hangouts in the dugout and chasing foul balls at age 10.
Coach Ryan Alexander encouraged it.
“He was always like, ‘Show up whenever you want, you’re in,’ and I was like, ‘Alright, I guess I’m in,’” Holmstrom said. “Coach A has always been super open, opened the doors and wanted me to come be a part of it.”
Now a senior, Holmstrom, an Ohio State commit, sees the journey as a blessing as he enters the seventh inning of his high school career as one of the best all-around players in the state. His coach isn’t surprised by Holmstrom’s success both on the mound and at the plate and isn’t ready to say, “goodbye” just yet.
“I will cherish this last year with him because he is a fun kid to coach,” Alexander said. “He attends every workout session with a great attitude and tries to outwork everyone. Even though he is not the most athletic, he finds a way to outwork others. He is a student with a 4.42 GPA, which means he will also outwork others in the classroom. He studies the game and knows everything he needs to do before it happens.”
As a freshman, Holmstrom’s strong work ethic even caught the attention of team captains and seniors, who urged Alexander to ensure he was in the lineup.
“All of our older guys were like, “‘Keegan’s got to play, and he’s got to play every day, coach,’” Alexander said.
In four seasons with the Greyhounds, Holmstrom has been an impressive player on the mound. He has exceeded expectations and compiled a career record of 25-3 after earning a 9-2 victory over New Albany on April 3. The win, his second this season, improved Grove City to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the OCC-Ohio Division.
Despite his 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame, the left-hander has a two-seam fastball that reaches upward of 90 mph. He can throw various pitches with precision, including a changeup and slider, all from the same arm slot.
Defensively, former Ohio State coach Greg Beals told Alexander that Holmstrom was “the best first baseman he’d ever recruited,” even though he had never seen a 5-10 first baseman in the Big Ten.
Grove City’s Keegan Holmstrom helped the Greyhounds get to the Division I regional final last season where they fell to Olentangy Orange. File photo
As a junior, Holmstrom was 8-2 with a 2.02 ERA, 56 strikeouts, and 16 walks in 62 1/3 innings. He also batted .310 with two doubles, two triples, 14 RBI, and 18 runs scored and was first-team all-district and all-OCC-Ohio after Grove City fell to Olentangy Orange 6-1 in a Division I regional final.
During his sophomore season, he had a 1.50 ERA, 57 strikeouts, and 27 walks in 65 1/3 innings and batted .377 with 23 runs, seven RBI, and six doubles, statistics that earned him OCC-Ohio Co-Player of the Year honors. He also was named first-team all-district and second-team all-state.
Despite losing his first varsity start, Holmstrom persevered and won 17 consecutive decisions. That impressive feat led him to achieve a 6-1 mark as a freshman and a 9-0 record as a sophomore. As a freshman, he hit .422 with 19 RBI and 19 runs and was first-team all-district, second-team all-OCC-Ohio and honorable mention all-state.
“I lost that first one as a freshman, and then coach A’s like, ‘Well, you’re gonna get some more,” Holmstrom said. “And then after that, I just kind of settled down. That first one was a little eye-opener. And then I was like, ‘Alright, here we go.’”
Holmstrom also pitched in big games as a sophomore, playing a key role in the Greyhounds’ first run to a Division I state final. He was the winning pitcher in both Grove City’s 2-0 regional final victory over defending state champion New Albany and its 4-1 state semifinal win over Mason.
“We were like No. 8 in the state, and Mason was No. 1 and he absolutely shut them down,” Alexander said. “Mason’s coach (Curt Bly) told me, “We’ve never been shut down like that this year.’ He was very impressed with Keegan, and that was Keegan as a sophomore.”
Keegan Holmstrom looks to former Grove City players for guidance, including pitcher Mike Mayers, now a Toronto Blue Jay. File photo
The Greyhounds then lost to Sylvania Northview 6-1 in the state final, finishing 26-8 overall.
Holmstrom’s journey to this point started when he was just a toddler, picking up a bat and playing with a pitching machine in his backyard. His parents, Kevin and Dona, have been his biggest supporters. His dad, a lieutenant on the Grove City police force, built his son a batting cage, and his mother encouraged Holmstrom to also play basketball and wrestling.
One of the biggest influences on Holmstrom’s baseball career has been 2010 Grove City graduate Mike Mayers, a pitcher with the Toronto Blue Jays. Mayer’s father, Mark, is Grove City’s pitching coach.
Mike Mayers has worked with Holmstrom since junior high, and the two have linked up during the offseason and text from time to time.
“Mike will send me videos all the time,” Holmstrom said. “He’ll be like, try this out, try that out. Mike has been huge for me. If something’s not working, I can text Mike, I can text Mark, and they’ll always have something to try.”
Holmstrom credits many others who’ve helped put him on the path to success, including 2015 Grove City graduate Chase Antle, who played three seasons at Bowling Green and one at Coastal Carolina and signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in June 2020.
He’s also worked with coach Josh Cyr with Apex Performance Lab who helped him gain 25 pounds of muscle.
As Holmstrom prepares to take his talents to Ohio State, he remains grateful for the opportunities he has had and the people who have helped him along the way.
But he hopes to accomplish one task before he leaves the Greyhounds.
“This is the year I want to get Coach A a (state championship) ring,” Holmstrom said. I want to be the guy who gets him his first ring. He’s deserved it for a long time.”
Holmstrom worked with catcher Grady Speegle, a 2023 Grove City graduate, during their playoff run last season. File photo