The Baltimore Orioles are one of the best teams in baseball this season, surging up the MLB power rankings with one of the best records in the league. Soon, the Orioles’ roster could be even stronger with the possible addition of top prospect Jackson Holliday.
Holliday, the first pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, received an $8.19 million signing bonus out of high school. Viewed as an elite, young talent with All-Star potential, Baltimore had high expectations for Holliday’s development and future. However, he’s developed even faster than expected.
- Jackson Holliday stats (2023): .336/.452/.530, .982 OPS, 84 runs scored, 63 RBI, 22 doubles, 21 stolen bases, 10 home runs, eight triples in 351 at-bats
Just a year removed from his senior season at Stillwater High School, Holliday is on the doorstep of his MLB debut. He began the season with the Delmarva Shorebirds, Baltimore’s Single-A affiliate and posted a .396/.522/.660 slash line in 14 games before receiving a promotion to High-A Aberdeen.
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In 57 games for the Aberdeen IronBirds, Holliday scored 52 runs with 35 RBI, 17 steals, a 19.3 percent walk rate and a .314/.452/.488 slash line. The Orioles saw enough during that stretch to promote him to Double-A Bowie. Since that promotion, Holliday has once again demonstrated why he’s the best prospect in baseball.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Orioles haven’t ruled out calling up Holliday in the next few weeks. While a promotion to the majors isn’t a guarantee given Baltimore’s infield depth, it’s something being seriously considered by the front office amid the playoff race.
The Orioles’ confidence level in Jackson is high for a reason. Despite being one of the youngest players in the full-season level of the minor leagues, Holliday has shown an outstanding eye at the plate. At both levels of A-Ball, he combined for 67/64 K/BB ratio, displayed elite speed and impressed defensively.
Baltimore could be looking for something to spark its lineup. Since July 1, the Orioles rank 18th in OPS (.723) and are 20th in OBP (.309). During that stretch, the Orioles’ second basemen have been responsible for an alarming .293 OBP and its third basemen are 20th in OPS (.715).
Holliday is the son of seven-time All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday. Jackson is rated as the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball by MLB.com. While he was initially projected to make his MLB debut in 2024, he could skip over the Triple-A level and go straight to the majors.