Jackson Holliday gets real about his childhood in the shadow of MLB star dad Matt

Baltimore Orioles slugger Jackson Holliday had a vastly different childhood than many others. He was lucky enough to grow up around MLB clubhouses while following his dad, Matt Holliday, around.

Matt had a 15-year career in the big leagues with the Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, and New York Yankees. During that time, he was a seven-time All-Star, a four-time Silver Slugger, an NL RBI and batting champ, and a World Series winner.

Jackson and Matt both sat down with FanDuel Sports Network's Jim Hayes for an interview. Here, Jackson opens up about what it was like growing up with an All-Star MLB player as a dad.

"I don't think it was too hard for me growing up. Obviously, you have the last name & especially in St. Louis, that carried some weight. But I always enjoyed playing and going to the field and being around him," said Jackson.

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The Orioles slugger loved going to the field and being around his dad as a youngster. This is the childhood most little leaguers dream of, and Jackson understands how lucky he was.

"It didn't really bother me too much. He was my dad who happened to play baseball" he added.

At the end of the day, Jackson still viewed his dad as just that, his dad. It just so happened that his dad was also a feared slugger when he walked up to the plate.

Baseball fans will soon become familiar with Jackson Holliday's little brother Ethan

The Oklahoman - Jackson Holliday's Brother - Ethan Holliday (Photo via IMAGN)

While baseball fans are familiar with Matt and Jackson Holliday, some are starting to get familiar with Ethan Holliday. Ethan is the youngest Holliday son who just graduated from high school.

The young slugger has already made a name for himself during his high school years. He is widely considered the top prospect in this year's MLB Draft, which takes place July 13 and 14.

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The Washington Nationals have the first pick in this year's draft. Many signs point to them taking Ethan as the No. 1 pick, which would make history. No other brothers in the sport have both been taken with the No. 1 pick.

However, it is no guarantee that Washington will take Ethan with their first pick. They could look at going the college route with someone like second baseman Aiva Marquette out at Oregon State.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom