1 Apr 2015

Holdzkom to start baseball season in minors

10:09 am on 1 April 2015

The New Zealand baseball player John Holdzkom will start the new North American season playing in the minor leagues.

The 27-year-old pitcher, who has played for New Zealand, came to prominence late last season as the Pittsburgh Pirates clinched a play-off berth.

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher John Holdzkom of New Zealand in action. 2014.

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher John Holdzkom of New Zealand in action. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Holdzkom had been hoping to secure a spot in the Pirates bullpen for the new season which starts next month.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle told MLB.com that all the decisions this time of year are tough, Holdzkom continues to develope and they'll being going to him at some stage this season.

Holdzkom says the decision is frustrating, but it's all part of the journey.

Holdzkom started 2014 playing in independent leagues, before being picked up by the Pirates with a month to go in the season and pitched in the 2014 NL Wild Card Playoff Game against the Giants.

He will start the season in the Pirates second-tier team playing Triple-A ball in Indianapolis.

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