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Orioles Promote Jackson Holliday

Writer's picture: Grant DeVivoGrant DeVivo

Updated: Apr 11, 2024

The Number 1 prospect in Major League Baseball is Baltimore bound

*Cover Photo: Ulysses Munoz, The Baltimore Banner


Happy Holliday, Birdland!


If you are reading this right now, then you and I are probably doing a lot of celebrating right now. The breaking news that you have been waiting for, the call to the show that you have highly anticipated. It's Jackson time in Charm City.


Jackson Holliday is Baltimore bound. He has been promoted to the big leagues.


The panorama around Holliday the past year or so has been ridiculous. We all knew that the now-20-year-old could play ball when he was selected first overall in 2022 by the Orioles. However, his rise as the best prospect across the entire game, his race to the show that is now just about complete, has proven that he is more than just your average top prospect. This young man is full of young, unprecidented talent and maturity that will contribute greatly in the Orioles' World Series chase.


Baseball's No.1 prospect, Jackson Holliday, is headed to the Major Leagues. Photo: Kate Kirsch

Holliday, the son of 7x All-Star and 2011 World Series champion Matt, was batting .333 with 2 homers, 5 doubles, and 9 RBI with Norfolk at the time of his promotion. He was slugging a ridiculous .595 and had a 1.077 OPS. His promotion came after he and the Norfolk Tides completed their series opener against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders last night. In the 5-2 Tides loss, Holliday batted leadoff, played secondbase, and went 1-for-4. He made a tough play up the middle, a dazzling sliding catch to rob the Railriders of a hit. For right now, this will have been his last game as a Tide


Of course, many of us were a bit surprised that he returned to Norfolk to begin the season. He dominated all four levels of Minor League ball last season, batting .323 with 75 RBIs, a .941 OPS, and a .499 SLG. He had a great 2024 Spring Training as well by hitting .311 with 2 HR, 6 RBI, and a .954 OPS.


Initially, I opposed him starting at Triple-A. I could have only imagined that it was a service time manipulation move in order to squeeze that sixth year of arbitration in. However, after reading that nine of his fifteen Spring Training outs against lefties were strikeouts, and also given his young age, I agreed that some extra time in the Minors would be the best thing for Holliday.


20-year-old Holliday has nothing left to prove in Minor League Baseball.

Well, he definitely fixed his approach against lefties for the better. He went 4-for-10 (.400) against southpaws and threw in an Opening Day bomb against a lefty in his first at-bat to begin an unpredictable two-week long offensive onslaught for the Tides. He has also gotten a great deal of work in at secondbase, where he will work primarily for Brandon Hyde and the Birds upon arrival. Defending AL Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson has shortstop, Holliday's natural position, all to himself.


Now I know that Holliday no longer needs anytime in the Minor Leagues. He has made the necessary adjustments and he is ready to be tested at the biggest stage. He has nothing left to prove in the Minors.


So, the Holliday season begins today, as Holliday will be in the lineup for Hyde for his Major League debut, presumably at second base. Where he will bat is still unknown, but he will go up against Red Sox righty Kutter Crawford to kick off his highly-anticipated Major League career.


Holliday will make his Camden Yards debut this Friday, April 12, when the O's take on the Milwaukee Brew Crew Brewers a 7:05 pm. Get your tickets to his home debut here. You might want to get them fast because I guarantee you they are going to go quick.


Tis the season, the Holliday season. The future of Orioles baseball keeps flying into town. Soak in the news, Birdland, and get excited.


Jackson Holliday is here.

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