BREWERS SELECT HOLOBETZ IN FIFTH ROUND OF MLB DRAFT

Old Dominion pitcher John Holobetz got the call Monday that every baseball player dreams of. Holobetz was selected in the fifth round by the Milwaukee Brewers, the 156th overall pick. This is the earliest an ODU ballplayer has been selected since fellow pitcher Noah Dean was taken with the 159th pick in 2022. Holobetz joins the major League ranks as the 82nd player in school history to be drafted.

Holobetz admitted he was surprised when Milwaukee called.

“It was not something I expected, there were a few other teams in the mix, but when I got that call I couldn’t have been more happy. It wasn’t nerves but more so anger and anxiety that was building as picks went by. When my advisor reached out to me I couldn’t have been more excited to be a part of the Brewers organization,” he said.

The Pottsville, PA native came to ODU from Radford University in the 2023 season. He appeared in 18 games posting a 2-1 record with a 3.37 ERA while also racking up six saves. While a call from Major League teams never came at the end of the 2023 campaign, his mindset remained the same. Holobetz credited his move to ODU, putting him in the best place to continue his career on the mound.

“It sounds kind of cliche, but I always knew I was gonna get drafted. That was always my mindset. When I came in to ODU, I knew it was the best place for me and for my future. Because I saw the success that they had with Aaron Holliday, Ryan Moore, Hunter Gregory, and obviously, Justin Verlander. This program has very high success with pitchers getting drafted.”

Holobetz improved his draft stock in the 2024 campaign. In 15 appearances he went 4-5 with a 4.31 ERA. He struck out 52 batters and only issued 20 walks in 62.2 innings pitched. He held opposing hitters to a .238 batting average.

Holobetz was one of the Monarchs most reliable arms down the stretch this season. Out of the bullpen he posted five straight outings of five innings or more in the final month of the season. He hit career highs, fanning 6 batters in a 2-1 win over ULM. Two weeks later he put together a dominant  seven inning two hit performance against App State.

Given his success out of the bullpen he still views himself as a starter.

“I was happy to help the team any way I could but I still view myself as a starter. I’ve been a starter my whole life. I was overthinking things at points this year and found myself again as I started to come out of the pen. My mindset for the future is to still be a starting pitcher,”

Looking to improve his craft within the Brewers organization, Holobetz credits his fastball as his best pitch as it was topping out at 97-98 MPH this past season.

“More than anything, I’m just excited to learn from guys that have already made it to the big leagues and also coaches that have been through it all,”

Less than a week in to his big league career, Holobetz has spoken to a few guys at the Brewers spring training facility and isn’t sure where he will start this upcoming season. For Monarch fans the Brewers single A affiliate, The Carolina Mudcats sits between Rocky Mount and Raleigh. Something to keep an eye on next season.

Photos Courtesy of CB Sports Photography