Get ready for baseball’s top-ranked prospect, another exciting addition to Baltimore’s impressive farm system.
According to someone familiar with the decision, the Orioles are set to bring up 20-year-old infielder Jackson Holliday. The person, who spoke anonymously to The Associated Press on Tuesday night, as the move was not yet official, revealed this news.
The Orioles are currently in Boston for a three-game series, with the next game scheduled for Wednesday night.
Holliday was selected as the top pick in the 2022 amateur draft straight out of high school in Oklahoma. He quickly rose through the ranks of the minor leagues, narrowly missing a spot on the Orioles’ opening-day roster last month.
During a brief stint with Triple-A Norfolk this season, he showcased his talent by hitting .333 with two home runs and five doubles in 42 at-bats.
Holliday, who is ranked as the game’s top prospect by MLB Pipeline, is the son of former seven-time All-Star and 2007 NL batting champion Matt Holliday.
The move to call up Holliday was first reported by ESPN.
Despite their victory against the Red Sox on Tuesday, the Orioles are facing a challenging season. However, they are coming off an impressive 101-win season in 2023, where they clinched the AL East title.
With young talents like shortstop Gunnar Henderson winning AL Rookie of the Year and catcher Adley Rutschman being the runner-up, the Orioles’ farm system continues to produce stars. Holliday’s arrival adds to this exciting roster of prospects.
Last year, Holliday showcased his skills by hitting .323 with an on-base percentage of .442 across 125 games for four different minor league teams. Although he began this season in Class A, he quickly rose through the ranks to Triple-A. In spring training games with the Orioles this year, he demonstrated his potential by hitting .311 with seven extra-base hits.
Despite his impressive performance, the Orioles opted to start him in Triple-A to ensure he received regular playing time at second base before moving him up.
The Norfolk Tides, Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate, are currently performing exceptionally well, with a 7-3 record and an impressive 102 runs scored, averaging 10.2 runs per game. Hitting prospects like Heston Kjerstad, who is hitting .409 with six homers and 25 RBIs, are leading the team.
It will be intriguing to see how the Orioles, with their young talent and experienced players, this season. Holliday’s call-up comes early enough for him to potentially earn a full year of service time, which could have implications for the team’s future draft picks.
If Holliday remains in the major leagues for the rest of the season and achieves specific accolades, such as winning AL Rookie of the Year or finishing among the top three in MVP voting, the Orioles could receive an extra pick in the 2025 amateur draft.
