Orioles GM makes feelings clear on Jackson Holliday’s ceiling

Jackson Holliday had the looming shadow of his MLB All-Star father over his shoulder after the Baltimore Orioles selected him as the No.1 pick in the 2022 MLB draft. While a rough rookie season saw Holliday struggle, this week, Orioles GM Mike Elias shared how Holliday has met their expectations.

On Wednesday's New York Post Sports' "The Show," Jon Heyman asked the Orioles GM if he was still as confident in Jackson Holliday's potential as he was when they drafted him with the No.1 draft pick.

"Definitely that," Elias responded. "And, you know, whatever age that fully happens in, I mean, he's going to continue to develop on his own timeline. He's been so ahead of the curve. I haven't seen a high school kid fly through the minor leagues like that in 20 years." [31:19]

The 42-year-old admitted that Holliday struggled after making his MLB debut last year. However, he pointed out that their decision to send the 21-year-old back to Triple-A greatly helped him. The Orioles only planned to send him for a month, but Holliday spent extra months, which Elias believes, on hindsight, was better.

21-year-old Jackson Holliday is the son of Matt Holliday, a seven-time All-Star who played for the Rockies, Cardinals, Athletics, and Yankees. Matt achieved his best success with the Cardinals, winning the 2011 World Series, but his stint with the Rockies was also impressive.

Orioles GM highlights what's different with Jackson Holliday in the 2025 season

Toward the end of the 2024 season, the Orioles had lost three infielders to injury, and as such, they called Jackson Holliday back. Though he performed well initially, the 21-year-old's later performances were subpar, and the Orioles couldn't make a deep postseason run.

However, Holliday has turned things around this season. With that in mind, Mike Elias shared what he saw that was different from the 2022 No. 1 draft pick's debut season.

"But this year, so far, he's been way more productive. He's bigger, stronger, the at-bats are better, I think the swing and miss is down. He's going to be a very good player, and he's helping our team this year. So wherever it ends up with him this year, I think it’s all good." [31:59]

Although he primarily played shortstop, Gunnar Henderson's presence has forced Holliday to play second base. Elias praised Holliday's defense in his new position and highlighted that the 21-year-old's base running has improved. The GM singled out Holliday as the only positive in the team's recent disappointing performances.

About the author

Safeer M S is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda, having delved into the sport professionally since 2024. His journey into baseball was sparked by Shohei Ohtani’s remarkable MLB performances, which ignited his passion for the game. Safeer’s enthusiasm for fantasy baseball further fueled his engagement with the sport.

Safeer supports baseball stars like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and Aaron Judge, with Shohei Ohtani's dual-threat dominance being his most memorable baseball moment. He admires Willie Mays for his athleticism and historic achievements in pinch-hitting and stealing bases.

In addition to his baseball expertise, Safeer is deeply passionate about combat sports, which he has been reporting on since 2022. His journey into combat sports began with Karate lessons in school, followed by boxing training. Films like Rocky 4, Never Back Down, and Warrior inspired his love for MMA, and witnessing Demetrious Johnson's victory over Kyoji Horiguchi solidified his commitment to the sport.

When not immersed in sports, Safeer enjoys playing football, working out, and watching anime or thriller movies.

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Edited by John Maxwell