Carolina Thunder shortstop Jamie Holler was known for his glove work while playing baseball for Northwestern High School in Rock Hill. He is a slick fielder and a pitcher with a fastball the can reach the low 90's. Had it not been for an injury in his junior season that required surgery, he may have been playing for a major college right now.

He underwent Tommy John surgery after his junior year. Tommy John surgery is known by doctors as ulna collateral ligament reconstruction, or UCL. It is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the "elbow-joint" elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body, such as a forearm or foot. The procedure, once an extreme measure, is now common among collegiate and professional baseball players.

John pitched for 26 years in the major leagues. The surgery extended his career by 15 years.

The big colleges may have been scared off by the surgery. They also thought Holler needed to work on his hitting so they shied away from offering him a scholarship.

But USC-Sumter signed him last summer. The first-year junior college program, the Fire Ants, was a good fit for the midfielder. At six feet tall and 155 pounds, he was thin. But he worked hard, especially on his hitting.

Carolina Thunder coach Greg Keaton describes Holler as a tireless worker. Keaton is also an assistant coach at USC-Sumter and has seen the amount of time and effort Holler has put in to improve his hitting.

"He has made himself into a great hitter," Keaton said. "He came in to practice early and stayed late everyday. And I'm not exaggerating. He absorbed everything we taught him."

The extra time resulted in a conference-leading .419 batting average.

"It was surprising," Holler said of his performance at the plate. "For about two weeks everything just found a hole and was a hit. I don't hit for a lot of power. I'm a gap-to-gap hitter. I don't strike out a lot. I don't like to get behind in the count. So if I get a first-pitch fastball I'm going to hit it."

Keaton remembers the two-week hitting spree Holler had. "He was unconscious for almost three weeks. Even when other teammates were struggling against tough pitchers he was getting his hits."

"He was already a good player when he got to Sumter," Keaton added. "He has exceptional defensive skills. He is a very smart young man. He uses what he's been taught."

His freshman year of college ball is behind him now. But his hitting has carried over to the Thunder where the Southern College Baseball League team has completed more than half of its' 42-game schedule. Holler, like all players in the SCBL, have had to adjust to wooden bats instead of the aluminum they use in college.

"He was the first kid we signed," Thunder head coach Chuck Rinehimer said. "He was a skinny kid but you could tell he had a frame to put on some size. He has filled out some. Jamie's energy is endless. He makes it pretty easy to coach."

Holler had 49 hits in 117 at-bats for the Fire Ants. As he continues to fill out he will likely improve his power. He had nine extra base hits and only one homer for USC-Sumter. He has hit one homer this season for the Thunder.

Holler logged 72 innings on the mound for USC-Sumter this spring. He was 8-3 with a 3.34 ERA and 77 strikeouts. He hasn't been used as much on the hill for the Thunder. Rinehimer and Keaton have used him strictly in a relief role.

Keaton believes Holler will play Division I baseball primarily as a shortstop but could be used as a closer as well.

"He is a dual player. I hope wherever he goes to school after USC-Sumter he gets a chance to be used in several positions," Keaton said.

Rinehimer sees Holler as one of his players that have the most potential.

Holler said he intends to return to USC-Sumter for the 2009 season even though he has heard from a few big colleges. He has always wanted to play for the University of South Carolina. If he keeps putting up eye-popping offensive numbers he just may get his wish.