The 2024 Major League Baseball season begins for most teams on March 28, so that's three weeks and two days away. Among the more exciting things to watch in spring training are the youngsters, such as baseball's top prospect Jackson Holliday. The Orioles wunderkind is only 20 years old, but there's a chance he makes the Opening Day roster.
Holliday impressed in spring action on Tuesday. He doubled to the right-center gap against Phillies ace Zack Wheeler and then tripled in his next at-bat.
Two at-bats, two extra-base hits for Jackson Holliday. pic.twitter.com/iXqGFwcgMD
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) March 5, 2024
He later added a single off reliever Michael Mercado to finish the day 3 for 4. He's hitting .333/.364/.619 in 22 plate appearances this spring.
Holliday, the son of seven-time MLB All-Star Matt, was taken first overall in the 2022 MLB draft out of high school. Jackson has gotten advice from his father this spring, too, according to MASN Sports:
"Just take it easy. Try to enjoy it," he says dad told him (MASN). "Whatever happens, happens, right? I think I'm in a really good spot, being 20 years old and in a position to make the team. Just enjoy it and have fun.
"And I have. These guys make it easy and fun in this locker room and enjoyable to come to the field every day."
Holliday made four stops last season, playing 14 games in Class A, 57 in High-A, 36 in Double-A and 18 in Triple-A. All combined, he hit .323/.442/.499 with 30 doubles, nine triples, 12 homers, 75 RBI, 113 runs and 24 stolen bases in 125 games. He's mostly played shortstop but has also seen time at second and has dabbled at third.
CBS Sports prospect expert R.J. Anderson ranked Holliday as baseball's top prospect this spring and said the following:
Holliday should not be able to exceed expectations. He was the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft, and his father Matt was a seven-time All-Star. He should be burdened with unobtainable forecasts. Yet Holliday has consistently bested the best-case scenario since his high school senior year. In his first full professional season, he blazed through three levels, closing out with an 18-game stint in Triple-A. There, he batted .267/.396/.400 with a 90 mph average exit velocity. He was 19 years old. All of Holliday's indicators, statistical and otherwise, are neon green. He has every tool and intangible necessary to become a star, even if he might require some time to upscale his power from the "gap" to the "over-the-fence" variety. (He needs to add more muscle and loft.) Given his demonstrated ability to overachieve, it would be foolish to bet against him making an impact at the big-league level in 2024. There is, in our estimation, simply no better prospect in the minor leagues.
The Orioles are coming off a 101-win season and have budding star Gunnar Henderson as a left-side infielder in addition to Jordan Westburg. Holliday is the type of player, however, who forces the issue and causes teams to make room for him. If the O's deem he's ready for Opening Day, they'll start him.
It's a fun situation to monitor this spring and on Tuesday, Holliday certainly looked the part.
