Matt Holland has signed his first professional baseball contract for $1,000 and a plane ticket to Florida.

It's not much, but he's delighted.

Holland, 23, was selected in the 22nd round of the Major League draft last week by the Philadelphia Phillies and will report to training camp in Clearwater, Fla., on Tuesday. He'll play for the Phils in the Rookie Gulf Coast League.

Opening day is Monday, June 20.

"I'm very excited," Holland said Monday. "It will be interesting to see what I can do down there."

Holland hit .391 with 10 homers and 53 RBIs as a senior at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi this season and was named a Louisville Slugger All-American. He finished his eligibility with the Islanders and signed with the Phillies for the $1,000 minimum allowed by Major League rules.

"I didn't have any leverage to negotiate," he said. "It was basically take it, or I start the real world."

Holland played left field at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi this season. He's listed by the Phillies as an outfielder, but a Philadelphia scout told him he also could be asked to play first base.

"I told them, 'Wherever you put, that's where I'll play,' " he remarked.

Holland said the Gulf Coast League Phillies will play games Monday through Saturday, either at 10 a.m. or noon, with Sundays off. The season runs from June 20 through Aug. 27.

"I'm getting my body rested up for another long season," he said.

Holland graduated from Marion High School in 2006.