Royals officials watch former closer Greg Holland work out in Phoenix

Inside a small college baseball stadium on Monday morning, as college students strolled by with backpacks and baseball men filled the bleachers, Greg Holland stepped on a pitcher’s mound wearing a pair of grey cotton shorts and a grey T-shirt, seeking to flash the ability that once made him one of baseball’s best closers.

As sweat soaked through his T-shirt, and more than 40 executives and scouts watched with radar guns, Holland threw more than 30 pitches on the field at Grand Canyon University, his first public appearance on a baseball field since undergoing Tommy John surgery near the end of the 2015 season.

For Holland, the former Royals All-Star reliever, the workout served as a public declaration that he is now healthy after spending all of 2015 rehabbing his reconstructed elbow. For the teams in attendance, including the Royals, the two simulated innings offered a glimpse of one of the more intriguing relievers on the free-agent market.

As the offseason begins, the Royals remain interested in a reunion with Holland, who posted a 2.42 ERA and recorded 145 saves across six seasons in Kansas City. On Monday, the club sent assistant general manager Scott Sharp and director of baseball administration Kyle Vena to watch the workout, which began just before 11:40 a.m. local time.

The competition for Holland’s services could be crowded, and Monday was a reminder of that fact. Representatives from at least 15 teams, including the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, were among those in attendance. The value of shutdown relief pitching has crystallized over the last three Octobers, when the Royals and Indians used dominant bullpens to advance to the World Series.

Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman and Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen are positioned to lead the free-agent class of closers. All-Star Mark Melancon, who finished the season with the Washington Nationals, is also available. But if his right elbow cooperates, Holland could offer a more cost-friendly value at the back end of the bullpen.

For now, Royals officials view upgrading the bullpen as a chief priority of the offseason. Closer Wade Davis is set to return on a $10 million team option, while All-Star setup man Kelvin Herrera is set to receive a raise through arbitration. The club is also hopeful that reliever Joakim Soria will rebound after a disastrous 2016. Internal upgrades exist in the form of left-handers Matt Strahm and Mike Minor, who are also candidates to fill out the starting rotation. But a healthy Holland could provide depth and experience, a return to the Holland-Davis-Herrera backbone of 2014 and 2015.

As the workout began, Holland’s fastball topped out at 90-91 mph, according to scouts in attendance. He only elected to throw fastballs and sliders during the workout. Holland, who is represented by agent Scott Boras, is just 13 months removed from Tommy John surgery and will hope his velocity returns over the next four months.

At his peak, Holland’s average fastball velocity sat around 95-96 mph. That velocity decreased in 2015, when he pitched through a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The injury eventually led to Tommy John surgery in October 2015, which led to a season away from baseball after the Royals opted against tendering him a contract. Holland never signed with another team, deciding to spend the season rehabbing his elbow.

Now he is ready to return.

This story was originally published November 7, 2016 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Royals officials watch former closer Greg Holland work out in Phoenix."