Baseball America Free Agent Rankings + Scouting Reports on Montas and Holmes

Frankie Montas, BA's #20 best ranked Free Agent SP for the 2024-25 offseason:

• "Montas has tantalizing upside but, outside of his 2019 and 2021 seasons, has never quite had the on-field results that his raw stuff would suggest. This year, Montas introduced a sweeper, and it grades out as a double-plus pitch to go along with his easy plus splitter. Despite excellent velo, he’s never quite found the right fastball shape that works for him, but it’s close enough to average that he could be a decent fastball with three plus or better secondaries type of guy. He’s an ideal target for a team that believes in its pitching dev, as he’s perhaps a couple of tweaks away from being a No. 2 starter or better."

Clay Holmes, BA's #1 ranked Free Agent RP of the offseason:

"All three of Holmes’ pitches are plus pitches or better. Let’s take a look at how StuffPro views the arsenal, with negative numbers representing run prevention per 100 pitches:

• "That’s three pitches that all prevent runs by at at least one run per 100 pitches better than average, and a sweeper that’s one of the best pitches in baseball. The sinker gets a ton of seam-shifted wake depth, dropping about 8-9 inches more than the spin axis would indicate, leading to a negative six degree launch angle in 2023 and a negative four degree launch angle this year. His sinker has a mirrored spin axis to both the sweeper and the gyro slider, likely adding to the deception of the pitch. Stuff+ doesn’t break out the slider and sweeper, but has given them combined grades of 142, 141, 159 and 234 this season."
• "Given his ability to leverage seam effects, I think he could have a killer changeup, should he want to add another weapon to his arsenal. His arsenal is so good, though, that he doesn’t really need it, especially if he stays in the bullpen. While he headlines this list as a relief pitcher, I think he’s a fantastic candidate to be next year’s Garrett Crochet."
• "Holmes has a starter’s frame, listed at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, and was a starting pitcher throughout his minor league career, including as recently as 2018. His sinker-heavy approach would allow him to get through lineups efficiently. If he adds in a changeup, he could have four plus pitches, more than enough to get through lineups multiple times. With Weaver’s ascendance to the closer’s role for the Yankees, it wouldn’t surprise me if they find a way to retain Holmes, and convert him to a starter."