Five things to know about Horry County Schools’ first Major League pitcher and his ferret
Atlanta Braves pitcher Grant Holmes has completed a personal journey and made Horry County history.
In three innings of work against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 17, 2024, Holmes surrendered no runs and garnered two strikeouts.
It was Holmes’ first Major League Baseball appearance. With his performance, Holmes also became the first high school graduate of Horry County Schools to appear in MLB. Holmes attended Conway High School.
With long curly hair and a handlebar mustache, Holmes stands out among his peers for his appearance.
Here are five things you need to know about the Horry County native.
The MLB pitcher has a ferret
Named Oreo, Holmes adopted the black and white ferret in 2023, according to his Instagram. Holmes and his wife Sami found the ferret at a shelter before adopting it. Oreo isn’t the couple’s first ferret, as the pair previously had one named Otis, who passed away in 2022.
Grant Holmes is married
The current Brave and former Conway High School Tiger has been married for four years to health and wellness influencer Sami Holmes, according to his Instagram. Sami posts photos of recipes and food-related content on her own Instagram account.
Holmes is an avid hunter
Holmes frequently posts photos of kills on Instagram, posing with downed deer and ducks frequently. His weapon of choice at times has sometimes been a bow, and Holmes previously posted photos in his hunting perch waiting for the opportunity to let loose an arrow.
Holmes isn’t the only MLB pitcher from the Pee Dee region
While he is MLB’s first high school graduate of Horry County Schools, Holmes joins several MLB pitchers that come from the greater Pee Dee region. Current Kansas City Royal pitcher Jordan Lyles and former four-time All-star pitcher Louis “Bobo” Newsom both were from nearby Hartsville.
It took Holmes 10 years to get to MLB
It’s been a long road to the show for the former Conway hurler. After being drafted in the first round of the 2014 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Holmes spent nearly a decade in the minor leagues hopping from team to team.
He wasn’t the first in his family to play in the minor leagues either, as his brother Colby Holmes spent two seasons as a pitcher for five different teams. But with his first appearance under his belt, Grant could extend his tenure in MLB if he keeps up his performance.
This story was originally published June 17, 2024 at 11:45 AM.
