Orioles call up top MLB prospect Jackson Holliday

The Baltimore Orioles referred to as up infielder Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 prospect in baseball, after a torrid begin at Triple-A this season.

Holliday, 20, who was the highest decide within the 2022 Main League Baseball draft, excelled in spring coaching however was despatched to the minor leagues to start the season. In 10 video games with the Norfolk Tides, Holliday hit .333/.482/.595 with two dwelling runs, 9 RBIs, 5 doubles and 12 walks in opposition to eight strikeouts.

Holliday is predicted to affix the Orioles, who’re 6-4 after a win in opposition to Boston on Tuesday, at Fenway Park on Wednesday.

Veteran infielder Tony Kemp was designated for task in a corresponding transfer.

By calling up Holliday inside the first two weeks of the season, Baltimore can reap an additional first-round draft decide via the Prospect Promotion Incentive, which awards groups with high prospects who attain a full yr of service time and win the Rookie of the 12 months award. Whereas there are 187 days on the baseball calendar, a full yr of service is achieved at 172 days, which Holliday will attain if he stays with Baltimore for the rest of the season.

The PPI has reduce each methods for Baltimore. In 2022, the Orioles saved catcher Adley Rutschman within the minor leagues till Could 21, solely to see him end second in American League Rookie of the 12 months and be granted a full yr of service for it whereas the staff didn’t obtain an additional draft decide. Final season, Baltimore broke camp with infielder Gunnar Henderson, whose Rookie of the 12 months win earned the Orioles the thirty second total draft decide and $2.84 million in bonus pool house within the July draft this yr.

Holliday is predicted to play second base and staff with the 22-year-old Henderson, now enjoying shortstop, for some of the dynamic younger center infielders in current historical past. Thought of a possible first-round decide getting into the 2022 season, Holliday — the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday — shot up draft boards within the spring after a bonanza season at Stillwater (Okla.) Excessive.

He instantly proved worthy of the highest decide, hitting .297/.489/.422 between rookie ball and Low-A, and adopted that by excelling at 4 minor league ranges final yr, hitting .323/.442/.499 with 12 dwelling runs, 75 RBIs, 24 stolen bases and 101 walks to 118 strikeouts in 581 plate appearances.

A left-handed hitter whose energy stroke is predicted to develop within the coming years, Holliday is nonetheless mature properly past his age, having grown up in main league clubhouses and spent appreciable time working together with his father.

He joins an Orioles roster stacked with younger position-playing expertise, together with Rutschman, Henderson, infielder Jordan Westburg and outfielder Colton Cowser, and comes from a Norfolk staff likewise loaded with prospects, together with third baseman Coby Mayo, outfielder Heston Kjerstad, tremendous utility man Connor Norby and outfielder Kyle Stowers.

Baltimore’s determination to name up Holliday comes after a spring by which he wowed evaluators, hitting .311/.354/.600 and looking out like top-of-the-line gamers on the staff. Baltimore entered the 2024 season as AL East favorites after including 2021 Nationwide League Cy Younger winner Corbin Burnes in a commerce for 2 high prospects from its No. 1-ranked farm system, left-hander D.L. Corridor and infielder Joey Ortiz.