(MiLB.com)

Colin Holderman — the Mets’ ninth-round selection in 2016 — raised many an eyebrow with six shutout innings and 11 strikeouts in his full-season debut with the Columbia Fireflies on April 10, 2017.

Holderman would make just three more starts before succumbing to a small labrum tear in his shoulder that limited him to just seven non-rehab appearances that season. Tommy John surgery the following April knocked him out for all of 2018, and any prospect hype that the Heartland Community College (IL) graduate had generated was largely forgotten.

Somewhat surprisingly, Holderman returned to game action about a year and one month after surgery, making his season debut with Columbia earlier in May. The early returns have been excellent: through three starts he’s posted a 1.76 ERA with 11 strikeouts and an opponent average of .157.

Highlights from Holderman’s season-high five-strikeout outing on May 10 in Charleston: pic.twitter.com/UOgVJFJJfx

— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) May 16, 2019

Though reports out of the draft had him touching 96 and 97 mph, Holderman’s fastball has been anywhere from 89 to 93 mph, occasionally reaching 94. He’s shown little rust in getting a feel for his curveball, throwing the 78 to 80 mph pitch for strikes and inducing swings and misses.

At 6 feet 7 inches, Holderman more than looks the part. It remains to be seen whether he’ll remain a member of the Fireflies’ rotation or if these outings are simply a stepping stone toward a promotion, but so far he’s done an excellent job of getting back onto the organizational depth chart.