Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday continues to add to his already incredible resume at just 19 years old.
On September 25, 2023, Holliday was named Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year, the second year in a row that honor belongs to a player in the Orioles organization.
Holliday is the fourth player in MLB history to win both Baseball America’s High School Player of the Year and Minor League player of the Year, joining Joe Mauer, Byron Buxton and Bobby Witt Jr.
This news should come as no suprise, as in his first full minor league season, the infield phenom has already made his way to Triple-A Norfolk and continues to look like he’s big league ready.
Holliday, who was selected first overall in 2022, began his 2023 campaign in Low-A Delmarva, where it became abundantly clear he was going to need a promotion. In just 14 games, he slashed .396/.522/.660/1.182, while flashing his patient approach to the plate, walking 14 times while striking out just 13 and getting on base at least once in every single game.
After reaching base more often than getting out, Holliday earned his first of several 2023 promotions, getting a shot at High-A Aberdeen. This is where he’d spend the bulk of his 2023 season, playing in 57 games and registering over 200 at-bats.
To nobody’s suprise, Holliday was too good for A-ball straight out of high school, this time posting a .314/.452/.488/.940 slashline. With more opportunities, he’d blast five long balls en route to tallying 21 extra-base hits, and while not being known for his speed, he’d also swipe 17 bags in 24 tries. Maybe the most absurd stat of his High-A stint was his 24.2% walk rate, a huge factor in his ability to get on base.
His second promotion of the year would send him to Double-A Bowie. His first taste of potential big league competition still did not slow him down. His .338/.421/.507/.928 slashline was arguably better than his numbers with Aberdeen. In 12 of his 36 games, he would record multiple hits, which is a ridiculous 33% of the time.
His third 2023 promotion put Holliday on the brink of the Major Leagues, as he was headed to Triple-A Norfolk, which came with mixed feelings from the O’s fanbase. While most were excited, some were worried Baltimore was rushing the kid through the system and would end up harming his development long-term.
While those concerns had some merit, Holliday quickly proved he was ready for the moment. It’s been a small sample size of 18 games, but he’s slashing .267/.396/.400/.796, and while that’s his worst line of his young career, a near .400 OBP at 19 years old against the best minor league talent is a remarkable feat.
Altogether across four levels in the minors, Holliday’s line sits at .323/.442/.499/.941. He’s blasted 12 home runs and has walked 101 times. In 125 minor league games this season, he’s recorded multiple hits in 39 of them.
Holliday has yet to struggle at all so far, making the absolute most of the opportunities the Orioles have given him. The patience and ability to get on base at just 19 years old is a testament to the prospect Holliday is, who will be fighting to make the big league roster come next spring.
Holliday will need to add more power to his game, but as he gets older and stronger, that should all fall into place. Defensively, Holliday will have to clean some things up and may find himself at second base, at least for the start of his career.
Regardless, it has been an incredible season for the best prospect in baseball, and hopefully, the Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year is just the first of many awards to come in the future for Holliday.
What do you think of Jackson Holliday’s 2023 season? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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