by Jesse Serwer
The Mets took the Wantagh resident with the ninth pick in the round and the 629th selection overall. Making the deal even sweeter, Holden will be able to commute from home to his new job playing for the Brooklyn Cyclones at Coney Island¹s Keyspan Park, just under an hour¹s drive away.
Holden, who recently finished his junior year at Molloy, said he was monitoring the draft with family members and friends on the computer in his bedroom when the news came through over Major League Baseball¹s Internet radio station that he had been picked by the Mets.
³This was the best possible scenario,² said Holden, a native of Utah, who came to Long Island when he was 10. ³I don¹t think anything better could have happened.²
Earlier this month Holden became the first player from Molloy¹s baseball program to be named an All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association, who named him to their second team. He hit .390 this season with 16 doubles, three triples, 13 home runs, 50 RBIs and 14 stolen bases, and was named the Northeast region and New York College Athletic Association (NYCAC) player of the year.
³I¹ve been at Molloy for 15 years and he is the best player I have ever had and one of the best players we have ever had in the conference,² said outgoing Lions head coach Bernie Havern. Havern, who retired at the end of this season, said he wasn¹t surprised to see Holden go to the Mets, as the team had been scouting him since last year. ³He can do all five aspects of the game ‹ he runs well, fields well, throws well, he hits for power, and he has great bat speed.²
Last weekend Holden headed to the Mets training camp at Port St. Lucie, Florida, where he was to begin working out with players from the Cyclones team and other Mets draft picks. The Cyclones¹ season begins with a home game against the Staten Island Yankees June 21.
If Holden makes it to the majors he won¹t be the first Joe Holden to do so. According to sportsillustrated.com, a Joe Holden played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1934, 1935 and 1936.
Comments about this story? JSerwer@liherald.com; (516) 569-4000 ext. 221
