In the ever-evolving world of baseball analytics, success stories often emerge from teams in smaller markets. One such story is that of Jensen Holm, a former Kalamazoo Growlers Statistics Intern who has recently transitioned into a prominent role as the Machine Learning Engineer for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Holm’s journey began in 2022 when he joined the Kalamazoo Growlers as the Statistics Intern. This experience proved invaluable, providing him with hands-on experience using industry-standard tools like TrackMan, a system widely used in professional baseball for analyzing player performance.

“I recently accepted a job offer in analytics with the St. Louis Cardinals, which is pretty much my dream job. I am not sure I would have gotten that offer with the experience I had in Kalamazoo,” Holm said. “Being familiar with Trackman and Synergy systems was a good thing to know in my interviews.”

His work with this and other key software platforms gave him a real-world edge and a practical understanding of the data that drives modern baseball strategy.

During his time with the Growlers, Holm demonstrated a keen understanding of data analysis and a passion for baseball. His dedication and hard work did not go unnoticed, and his contributions proved invaluable to the team’s operations.

“I also think this experience made my resume pop because other people might have analytics experience, but not with a baseball team that is sending data to Trackman and Synergy,” Holm said. “There were 700+ applicants for this role, and they have to filter out a lot of resumes, making this pretty important.”

This summer internship experience ultimately helped his resume stand out amongst a pool of over 700 applicants vying for similar positions.

Now, just a few years later, Holm’s career has taken a significant leap forward as he joins the ranks of Major League Baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals. In his new role as Machine Learning Engineer, Holm will be responsible for designing, managing, and automating data processes related to quantitative models in support of Baseball Operations initiatives.

Holm’s remarkable ascent from statistics intern to machine learning engineer is a testament to his talent, perseverance, and the growing importance of data analysis in professional sports.

His story serves as an inspiration to aspiring analysts and underscores the potential for growth and advancement within the field of baseball analytics.

“Not only did I get relevant experience that led to my dream job, but I have great memories and life long friends that I am still in contact with from that summer.” Holm said.

For those looking to follow in Holm’s footsteps, the Kalamazoo Growlers have recently posted internships for the 2025 season on Teamwork Online.