Orioles' Jackson Holliday: Chance to make Opening Day roster
Rotowire
Orioles GM Mike Elias said Thursday that Holliday will be in major-league camp next spring with a chance to make the Opening Day roster, Danielle Allentuck of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
Holliday is only 19 years old, but the dynamic young shortstop prospect has done nothing but rake since being selected first overall in the 2022 MLB Draft out of a high school in Oklahoma. The son of Matt Holliday, he put together a .323/.442/.499 batting line with 12 homers, 30 doubles and nine triples in 125 games this summer while rising from Low-A Delmarva all the way to Triple-A Norfolk. Jorge Mateo served as the O's primary starter at short during the 2023 regular season and slashed just .217/.267/.340 across 350 plate appearances.
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Orioles' Jackson Holliday: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
The Diamondbacks gave Jordan Lawlar 16 games at Triple-A Reno before bringing him up to the big leagues, presumably just to make sure he didn't hit a brick wall at that last stop. Will Triple-A Norfolk likewise be just a layover for Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 pick in the draft last year and consensus No. 1 overall prospect now? Promoting him would be an aggressive move, but Holliday isn't a typical 19-year-old, being the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday, and has experienced no letup in production at any of his previous three stops this year. Gunnar Henderson, who the Orioles aggressively promoted as a 21-year-old last September, is their only quality hitter on the left side of the infield. Filling that hole with Holliday as the team closes in on its first division title in a decade makes some sense. So does stashing him ahead of time if you can spare the roster spot.
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Orioles' Jackson Holliday: Out several days with illness
Rotowire
Holliday will be sidelined several days at Double-A Bowie due to an illness, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Holliday has yet to be challenged at any level, including Bowie, where he's posted a .924 OPS in his first 10 games. He'll need a little breather to get well, though, before trying to finish strong in what is his first full pro season.
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Orioles' Jackson Holliday: Moving up to Double-A
Rotowire
The Orioles promoted Holliday from High-A Aberdeen to Double-A Bowie on Sunday, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
Baltimore is using the final day before the All-Star break to move several youngsters up a rung on the minor-league ladder, and no promotion is more significant than that of Holliday, the top prospect in the system and perhaps all of baseball. The 19-year-old is on the move for the second time this season, as he showed no signs of slowing down after making the jump to Aberdeen following a 14-game stint with Single-A Delmarva to begin the campaign. Despite being one of the younger hitters in the South Atlantic League, Holliday turned in a .314/.452/.502 slash line while walking at a 19.5 percent clip and striking out in 20.8 percent of his 259 plate appearances. The young shortstop was also a menace on the basepaths, notching 17 steals in 24 attempts.
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Orioles' Jackson Holliday: Handling High-A
Rotowire
Holliday is slashing .359/.488/.612 with four home runs, nine steals, a 20.2 percent strikeout rate and a 19.4 percent walk rate in 29 games for High-A Aberdeen.
Holliday wasted no time this season throwing his hat into the ring for best prospect in baseball, as he has now dominated Single-A (230 wRC+) and High-A (195 wRC+) and won't turn 20 until December. The most notable skill development for Holliday relative to preseason scouting reports is that he has been clocked as a plus-plus runner this year. He has stolen 12 bases on 17 attempts in 43 games and projects as a five-category superstar in the majors.
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Orioles' Jackson Holliday: Moving up to High-A
Rotowire
Holliday received a promotion from Single-A Delmarva to High-A Aberdeen on Monday.
Holliday quickly proved to be too talented for Single-A ball, dominating the level to the tune of a .392/.503/.530 slash line, two home runs, three stolen bases and a 12:14 K:BB over 65 plate appearances. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, Holliday is only 19 years old but is nonetheless looking like he could moving quickly up the Orioles' organizational ladder.
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Orioles' Jackson Holliday: Dominant at Single-A
Rotowire
Holliday is slashing .404/.533/.681 with two home runs, three steals, 11 strikeouts and 13 walks in 60 plate appearances for Single-A Delmarva.
The No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft couldn't be having a more impressive statistical start to the year, as his 45.2 percent hard-hit rate is also an elite figure, especially for a 19-year-old shortstop. Holliday is looking like a future superstar, and he could get a bump to High-A in the coming weeks.
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Orioles' Jackson Holliday: Reassigned to minor-league camp
Rotowire
Holliday was reassigned to minor-league camp by the Orioles on Tuesday, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.
The O's wanted Holliday to get some experience in big-league camp this spring even though he's headed back to the low minors. He more than held his own in the opportunities given to him, going 5-for-13 with a 4:4 K:BB. The 19-year-old needs plenty of seasoning but the future appears very bright.
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Orioles' Jackson Holliday: Getting first taste of A ball
Rotowire
Holliday has hit .194/.342/.226 through his first eight games for Single-A Delmarva.
He played eight games in rookie ball before that and outclassed the competition, hitting .409/.576/.591 with a homer, three steals and a 10:2 BB:K. Although Single-A has been a greater challenge so far, it's obviously a small sample, and it helps that Holliday has continued to show impressive plate discipline (7:8 BB:K). The 2022 draft's first overall pick has as much upside as anyone in the minors.
