COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. -- When the West Michigan Whitecaps are looking for someone to lighten the mood, they turn to a Sparty.
Not the Michigan State mascot, but a former Michigan State player, Jeff Holm.
The Detroit Tigers selected Holm in the 12th round (377th overall) in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft last June.
Holm was the 2011 Big Ten Player of the Year and a third-team Louisville Slugger All-America selection by Collegiate Baseball. The first baseman led the Big Ten with 61 RBIs and was second with a .376 batting average.
Yet when his Whitecaps teammates think of him, they think more of his taste in music. Holm made an unusual choice when it came to his walk-up song.
"'Call Me Maybe' by Carly Rae Jepsen," Holm said. "I figured you can't really get pumped up for an at-bat in five seconds so I figured I'd make everybody laugh a little bit in five seconds, take my mind off of being serious and relax a little bit at the plate."
Whitecaps play-by-play announcer Ben Chiswick may have called Holm's musical preferences "girl music," but Holm doesn't like every artist that appeals to young girls.
"I haven't really gotten on the (Justin) Bieber train yet, probably because he's got the greatest life you could possibly think of," Holm said. "Carly Rae Jepsen, Katy Perry, Ke$ha, you name it. It's perfect."
Teammate Colin Kaline called Holm the Whitecaps' biggest character.
"He's just a great guy, always positive, always keeping guys smiling, even when things aren't going well," Kaline said. "Someone you can always approach, always talk to, light-hearted and will keep you the same way."
Holm may like to joke around but he takes his game seriously. He admitted he was disappointed when he wasn't drafted after his junior year at MSU.
"I was upset by that," Holm said. "I worked harder and played with a chip on my shoulder and we ended up winning a conference championship for the first time in 32 years so it was a blessing in disguise."
Holm said professional baseball is nothing like Big Ten baseball, even at the Single-A level.
"It's way different than college," Holm said. "There's no more cheap base hits. Guys are faster, stronger, throwing guys out, diving, making plays.
"It's like the Friday night guy that you're seeing in college, every pitcher you see, they all have great coaches behind them and they know what they're doing out there so it makes it way more difficult."
Holm did not join the Whitecaps until April 28 as he was working in extended spring training. Since then, he's worked his way up to become the team's second leading hitter, with a .292 average behind leader Steven Moya's .316.
Holm credits hitting coach Scott Dwyer for helping him have success at the plate.
"He's been very patient with me," Holm said. "I was with him in Connecticut last year and he knows my swing and knows what I tend to try to do and what I can do.
"He works with me to quiet myself down and hit the way I should instead of trying to do too much."
Holm said he does not try to pattern his game after any current major league players.
"It's really hard for me to watch major league games because they make hitting look really, really easy," Holm said. "I do watch a lot of players, up and down the lineups of every team, everybody can hit.
"I just try to take what Scotty says and try to put it into batting practice, get used to it and take it into a game. So far in just the little bit of time, it's been working."
As for Holm's defense, although he played first base in college, he's now an outfielder.
"Summer last year was the first time I played it, worked at it, learned how to read balls off the bat," Holm said. "Now it's really comfortable to me and I feel really good out there. I want the ball hit to me. So when it does, I'll be ready for it."
Dean Green and Aaron Westlake are the two main first basemen for the Whitecaps. Holm said he did not mind the defensive change at all.
"I love the outfield," Holm said. "I played all through high school, all through college at first base and it's a nice little mix-up, get to run around out there and throw people out. It's a nice little change."
The Illinois native grew up a Chicago Cubs fan but admits that attending Michigan State with a lot of Tigers fans had him watching the team that eventually drafted him.
"I like to watch them, I like rooting for the Tigers," Holm said. "You see it on TV, you're like, oh, man, it looks so easy to hit and then you get out there and you realize it's not easy to hit like that.
"They're definitely great guys to watch because they all do it right and they're all professionals. They're great role models to emulate.
"It's a great organization and I couldn't be happier that I get to play for them now."
Even though Holm is now playing professional baseball, which is a job, it's still a lot of fun for him and his teammates.
"I heard Nick (Avila) saying that there's great team chemistry; that's basically because everybody's played together already," Holm said. "We all know each other's playing styles.
"It's great to be out here with your friends playing a kids' game and getting paid for it. There's nothing I'd rather be doing than coming out here every day."
