WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State right-handed pitcher Connor Holden has signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Detroit Tigers.

Holden solidified the back-end of the Shocker bullpen in his lone season in the Black and Yellow, leading Wichita State with a 2.78 ERA and six saves over the course of 25 appearances out of the bullpen. In 35.2 innings, the graduate student from Murray State allowed just 27 hits for an opponent batting average of .205, best on the staff.

Holden produced one of the top strikeout-to-walk ratios in the nation, racking up 39 punchouts while walking just two hitters. The righty opened the season with nine straight scoreless outings, including 1.1 spotless innings vs. Texas A&M on March 6 to clinch the Frisco Classic championship and a perfect 2.1 frames vs. Kansas on March 23 to earn the win. Holden set a season high with 4.0 shutout innings and six strikeouts against Cincinnati on April 15, later matching that 4.0 inning output to notch the save against Tulane on May 15. All told, Holden went unscored upon in 18 of his 25 outings, working more than one inning 11 times.

The Louisville, Kentucky native was named to the AD Honor Roll in both Fall 2021 and Spring 2022, and later earned a spot on the AAC All-Academic Team.

Holden becomes the second consecutive Shocker closer to find his way to the Tigers organization, joining fellow right-hander Aaron Haase who was selected in the 17th Round of the 2021 MLB Draft and now pitches at Class A Lakeland.