Tyler Holt - Assistant Coach/Hitting Coach - Baseball Coaches

Tyler Holt

Title:
Assistant Coach/Hitting Coach
Email:
t.holt@unf.edu

Tyler Holt returned to his home state to take over as assistant coach and hitting coach with the Ospreys in August of 2023.

Tyler Holt At a Glance

Arrives from Boston College
Played in the MLB with the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians
Gold Glove honoree under Mike Martin at Florida State
Been on two ACC staffs, including Florida State and Boston College
Helped produce draft picks including Drew Mendoza (3rd round), Mike Salvatore (9th round), Matheu Nelson (1st round), Robby Martin (8th round), Elijah Cabell (17th round), Luke Gold (5th round), Travis Honeyman (3rd round), Joe Vetrano (5th round) and Peter Burns (free agent)

After growing up in Gainesville, Fla., Holt made his way around the country with the game of baseball at the amateur, Big League and collegiate level. The professional outfielder attended Gainesville High School before earning three letters with Florida State, finishing with a 13-home run campaign in 2010 under legendary head coach Mike Martin. Holt earned all-american honors as a freshman and in 2009 and 2010, while also being honored with an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove in 2009. Holt joined Buster Posey and Sherman Johnson as one of three FSU players to earn the gold glove honors.

Twice Holt earned First Team All-ACC honors, Collegiate Baseball Second Team All-American recognition and Baseball America laurels. As a sophomore, Holt clubbed over .400, the last Seminole to do so. Later that year he went on to play with the Collegiate National Team.

“Florida has always been home to me and to finally have the chance to work with a staff like this led by Joe Mercadante is not only humbling but is rekindling of my love for the game of baseball,” Holt said. “The most important thing to me now in this game is who you’re working with and for. Merc is elite on the field but an even better person off, which echoes in my opinion, the reason it was a no brainer for Nick Morrow to turn the program over to him. I want to say thank you to Nick and Joe and the rest of the University of North Florida family for giving me this opportunity to stay in the game and to continue to wear my heart emotions on my sleeve. Buckle up, because the Ospreys are coming.”

“Tyler, in my opinion, is one of the best hitting coaches in college baseball and I am extremely proud to have him leading our offense here at UNF,” Mercadante said. “Tyler is a guy who has played at the highest level, knows what it takes to develop professional hitters and will connect with the players in our program very well. He’s a competitor and loves to work, which are the qualities that made him a great player and subsequently a great coach. I’m excited to bring Tyler back to the Sunshine State and look forward to getting to work with him and have him help lead this team.”

Holt was taken in the 10th round of the 2010 June MLB Draft before spending the next eight years at different ranks of the professional level. Holt would make The Show with both the Cleveland Indians (2014-15) and Cincinnati Reds (2015-16).

After wrapping up his playing days, Holt spent three years on the staff at his alma mater, helping the Seminoles to the 2019 College World Series. Florida State reached the College World Series in 2019, with Drew Mendoza being drafted in the third round and Mike Salvatore going in the ninth.

Holt spent two more years in Tallahassee, making the Ole Miss Regional in 2021.

He joined ACC foe Boston College in the fall of 2021, working with the Eagles as an assistant. 2023 ended up being a highwater year for the Eagles as they went 37-20, tying a school wins record en route to an appearance in the Tuscaloosa Regional. BC was fueled by a potent and disruptive offense that paced the ACC in HBP (39), while finishing second in sac flies (15) and stolen base percentage (29-31, 94 percent).

Holt helped bring some names to the forefront of the league and attention of big league scouts as three top five round draft picks were tabbed in 2023. Joe Vetrano went to the LA Dodgers in the fifth round, Travis Honeyman was tabbed by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round and Luke Gold went to the Tigers in the fifth round. Peter Burns was also picked up by the Angels as a free agent.