Dylan Holmes is a ballplayer at heart.
For the first time in more than a decade, however, the 2022 Libertyville graduate wasn’t on a roster this past season, even after playing well for Triton the previous year.
“I struggled a little with my grades freshman year, so I took a gap year for baseball last year to focus on school and myself,” Holmes said. “We use the term ‘student-athlete’ all the time, and I was putting the ‘athlete’ before ‘student.’ I had to prove to myself that I could get my grades up, and I did.”
So Holmes enters the upcoming academic year all the more motivated to make up for lost time in his baseball career. He also has a different perspective.
“I had to look in the mirror and tell myself, ‘You have to figure this out if you want to play at the next level,’” he said. “It was a huge smack in the face and a huge wake-up call. It was hard telling my teammates I wouldn’t be playing. I was embarrassed about it.”
Holmes will take his new outlook to Oakton, where he will resume his career as a student-athlete with the hope that he can convince a four-year college program that he’s a good fit.
Triton coach Harry Torgerson, who arranged for Holmes to be able to continue working out with the team this past season, said Holmes had been on track athletically to play Division I baseball. He hit .364 with a .468 on-base percentage, 36 RBIs and 13 steals in 16 attempts in 44 games as a freshman.
“After they see the ability, the first thing coaches coming in want to see is the transcript,” Torgerson said. “There was a lot of interest, and we talked about that. When you look at him, there’s a DI athlete, and the only thing holding him back were his grades.”
Holmes’ ability, particularly in the batter’s box, has never been in question. Even though he missed the spring season, Holmes hit .500 with a .625 on-base percentage while playing for the Lombard Orioles of the Chicago Suburban Baseball League this summer.
“Hitting has never been a problem, even as a kid,” Holmes said. “I’ve put in a lot of work to get to this point. I’m always critiquing my swing, and I always try to stick to the basics — stay consistent and be confident at the plate.”
Libertyville coach Matt Thompson remembers that offensive production. Holmes hit .411 with a .674 slugging percentage and 35 RBIs as a senior in 2022. Thompson also recalls that Holmes made clear he wasn’t ready to hang up the cleats after high school.
“His hitting was what always kept him in the lineup,” Thompson said. “He always wanted to play at the next level, but unfortunately he didn’t get any DI offers. He had a passion for the game, and it’s a testament to him that he’s still working as hard as he is to attain his goals. Some kids won’t continue playing if they don’t get the right offer.”
Defensively, Holmes would like to return to his roots by playing predominantly behind the plate. He played mostly in the outfield as a Triton freshman and solely in the outfield this summer.
“I want to still be a catcher, and hopefully I can prove myself there,” he said.
But Holmes is pleased to be getting another shot and is determined to take full advantage of it.
“Whether it ends up being Division I, I just want to play good, competitive baseball and have some fun with my team,” he said. “I’m excited. This year hopefully is going to be my year.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
