BOSTON — Jackson Holliday is on his way to the majors.
The Orioles are calling up the consensus No. 1 ranked prospect in baseball to join them for their ongoing road trip in Boston, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the move. Holliday, who signed for a high school record $8.19 million bonus after being selected first overall in the 2022 MLB draft, spent most of spring training with the club but was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to begin the season.
The 20-year-old infielder skyrocketed through the Orioles’ farm system during his first full professional season in 2023, beginning the year in Low-A Delmarva and earning three promotions by the end of summer. He was off to a hot start with Norfolk again this year, posting a .333/.482/.595 slash line with two home runs and five doubles in 10 games.
While the Orioles have space on their 40-man roster for Holliday, they will have to clear a spot on their 26-man active roster for him to play Wednesday against the Red Sox. Fellow infielders Tony Kemp, who signed a one-year, $1 million major league deal two days before opening day, and Ramón Urías, who is out of minor league options, are both off to slow starts at the plate.
Holliday spent most of the spring playing second base. While a natural shortstop, Holliday’s path to the majors at that position was blocked by reigning American League Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson. Executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias said in March that one of the driving factors behind the club’s decision to cut Holliday from the camp roster was because he is still learning a new position.
“When we think about developing and completing the development of a player of his talent, and it’s something we have some experience doing,” Elias said last month. “We’ve done it with Adley [Rutschman] and Gunnar and guys like Jordan Westburg, there’s a lot of considerations involved so that when they do start their major league careers you want them to be able to stay. Guys of that marquee caliber, you want them to be able to start their careers in full-blown, full-time roles.”
The other leading factor was Holliday’s lack of experience facing left-handed pitching. During his meteoric rise through the minor leagues, he had only 91 plate appearances at the Triple-A level last season. He struck out 15 times in 48 plate appearances during Grapefruit League play during spring training, but the overall body of work was still impressive as he hit .311 with two home runs, including a grand slam against Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi.
With a rare 70-grade hit tool on the 20-80 scale from MLB Pipeline to go with 60-grade power and speed, Holliday has the potential to be a true five-tool player at an up-the-middle infield position. The son of seven-time MLB All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger Award winner Matt Holliday is the third consecutive No. 1 overall prospect to graduate from the Orioles’ farm system in as many years following Rutschman (2022) and Henderson (2023).
Because he’s being called up before Saturday, Holliday will have the chance to earn a full year of MLB service time if he remains in the majors for the rest of the season. Had the Orioles waited until Saturday, baseball’s contract structure would have allowed Baltimore to gain an extra year of team control through 2030.
However, Holliday is now eligible to net the Orioles a future draft pick through MLB’s Prospect Promotion Incentive program, a system established in the 2022 collective bargaining agreement that rewards teams for promoting top prospects.
The Orioles will receive an additional pick between the first and second rounds of the 2025 MLB draft if Holliday is named Rookie of the Year or ranks among the top finishers in AL Most Valuable Player Award voting. Henderson, who made the team out of camp last spring after debuting late in the 2022 season, earned the Orioles one such pick for winning Rookie of the Year last year.
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday, right, signs autographs for fans after live batting practice during 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Elias, left, watches Jackson Holliday takes batting practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles INF Jackson Holliday in 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota , Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Jackson Holliday #87 of the Baltimore Orioles warms up during a spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium on Feb. 29, 2024 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday locks onto a pitch with intensity during batting practice in 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Jackson Holliday practices bunting during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota , Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Top prospect Jackson Holliday smoothes his hair as he waits for live batting practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles INF Jackson Holliday in 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota , Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday takes fielding practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday connects during live batting practice at Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday takes fielding practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota , Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday smiles during batting practice at Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Top prospect Jackson Holliday signs autographs for Orioles fans at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida, after taking batting practice during spring training. (Jacob Calvin Meyer/Staff photo)
Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Elias, left, follows the flight of Jackson Holliday’s fly ball during batting practice in Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles INF Jackson Holliday in 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota , Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday, left, forces out Red Sox Nathan Hickey in the fifth inning of the 2024 Grapefruit League Spring Training season opener at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Jackson Holliday takes infield practice before 2024 Grapefruit League Spring Training season opener against Boston at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Jackson Holliday takes infield practice before 2024 Grapefruit League Spring Training season opener against Boston at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Jackson Holliday #87 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during a spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium on Feb. 29, 2024 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Jackson Holliday #87 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during a spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium on Feb. 29, 2024 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Jackson Holliday #87 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during a spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium on Feb. 29, 2024 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Jackson Holliday #87 of the Baltimore Orioles hits in the first inning during a spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium on Feb. 29, 2024 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Jackson Holliday #87 of the Baltimore Orioles hits in the first inning during a spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium on Feb. 29, 2024 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Jackson Holliday #87 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during a spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium on Feb. 29, 2024 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Jackson Holliday #87 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during a spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium on Feb. 29, 2024 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Baltimore Orioles Jordan Westburg (11) is greeted by Jackson Holliday (87) at the dugout after his solo home run in the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in North Port, Fla., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Jackson Holliday #87 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during a spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Ed Smith Stadium on Feb. 29, 2024 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Atlanta Braves second baseman Jackson Holliday tuns a double play off the bat of Atlanta Braves Michael Harris II, as Marcell Ozuna is forced out in the second inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in North Port, Fla., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Baltimore Orioles Jackson Holliday (87) swings at a pitch in the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in North Port, Fla., Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Orioles Jackson Holliday plays in first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Jackson Holliday plays in first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Jackson Holliday plays in first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Jackson Holliday plays in first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Jackson Holliday plays in first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Jackson Holliday, right, talks with first baseman Ryan O’Hearn during pitching change in first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Jackson Holliday plays in first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Jackson Holliday plays in first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Infielders Jackson Holliday, right, and Ryan Mountcastle, left, warm up before first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Jackson Holliday #87 of the Baltimore Orioles arrives at second baes after hitting a double in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during a 2024 Grapefruit League Spring Training game at BayCare Ballpark on March 05, 2024 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Jackson Holliday #87 of the Baltimore Orioles rounds second base after hitting a triple in the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during a 2024 Grapefruit League Spring Training game at BayCare Ballpark on March 05, 2024 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday takes batting practice before a spring training baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Dunedin, Florida. (Mark Taylor/The Canadian Press via AP)
Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday works on his base running before a spring training baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Dunedin, Florida. (Mark Taylor/The Canadian Press via AP)
Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday rounds first base after hitting a home run during a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Dunedin, Fla. (Mark Taylor/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays’ Cavan Biggio, left, is forced out at second on a play started by Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday, right, during a baseball game, Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Dunedin, Fla. (Mark Taylor/The Canadian Press via AP)
Norfolk Tides player Jackson Holliday meets with members of the media after practice at Harbor Park Stadium in Norfolk, Virginia, on March 28, 2024. Holliday is the number one ranked prospect in baseball. He made the move to Norfolk in the previous season(Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Norfolk Tides Jackson Holliday (18) rounds second base after his leadoff homer in the first inning. The Norfolk Tides faced the Durham Bulls on opening day at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia, on March 29, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
