It was a symbol of the 2023 season for Baltimore Orioles prospect Jackson Holiday. He tore it up at four levels, won a Class AAA championship, and is currently named USA TODAY’s Minor League Player of the Year.
Holiday, the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft, is batting .323 with 12 home runs, 75 RBIs and 24 stolen bases as a 19-year-old, playing at Single-A Delmarva, High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Bowie before moving to Triple-A. Reached. -A with Norfolk.
“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, to be honest,” Holiday told MLB.com. “You know, Aberdeen and Delmarva are unreal. It was pretty crazy baseball, but it was fun. I had a lot of really great teammates, so it was easy.”
Jackson Holiday, the son of All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday, appeared in 125 games as shortstop and second base, posting a .442 OBP, 113 RBIs, and 154 hits.
“If you were sitting there and you didn’t know the No. 1 prospect was on the field, before you left the game you’d say, ‘That’s that guy,'” Bowie manager Kyle Moore said this summer. , told USA TODAY Sports.
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Every year since 1988, USA TODAY has presented the Minor League Player of the Year Award, which honors the best minor league player of the year as voted on by MLB reporters and editors.
Of the 14 winners since 2008, 12 have gone on to become All-Stars, and that group has combined for three MVP awards, three Cy Young Awards and five Rookie of the Year honors.
Major League Baseball’s Orioles have relied on up-and-coming players such as Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson and second-year catcher Adley Rutschman, the No. 1 overall pick in 2019, to win 101 games and advance to the American League East in 2023. He achieved victory.
Holiday should join him at Camden Yards soon.
“I’m very excited to be a part of such a great organization, especially now with so much young talent,” Holliday said.
Holiday, now 20 years old, is expected to earn a spot on a major league roster in spring training. General manager Mike Elias said at MLB’s winter meetings that Holiday has a “chance” to break camp with the Orioles.
“In this major league camp, he’s going to be treated as a player who’s trying to get on the team, not as a prospect and something that we’re having fun bringing into camp and getting experience.” said Elias.
Holiday had two home runs and nine RBIs in 18 games for Triple-A Norfolk, and the Tides defeated the Oklahoma City Dodgers in the Triple-A championship game.
“I don’t want to put the cart before the horse, but he had a historic first full season in the minors,” Elias said. “For an American kid coming out of high school, he probably needs to go back to his ’80s or his ’90s to find something similar to that.”
The son of a batting champion and World Series winner, Holiday grew up in MLB clubhouses, and his father said his love for the game dates back to his childhood. Holiday’s younger brother, third baseman Ethan, is considered one of the top prospects in the 2025 draft.
“What (Jackson) has always done, since he was 2 or 3 years old, he always loved to practice, he always loved to be on the field,” Matt Holliday told MLB.com. Ta. “I knew from a young age that he had a passion and love for baseball. I never thought he would become a promising player and be drafted No. 1 overall, but this… I always knew that was what he wanted to do for his career, his life.”
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde echoed Elias regarding the possibility of Holiday forcing a spot on the roster in February and March.
“I’ve never seen a kid this young grow up this fast and have this much success, especially at a high level like Triple-A at 19 years old,” Hyde said. “The numbers he’s put up over his short minor league career, especially given his age, are really incredible. We gave him all the looks in spring training and gave him as many looks as possible. I think we’re going to give them every opportunity.”
USA TODAY Sports Minor League Player of the Year Award Winner
- 2022: Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks (2023 National League Rookie of the Year)
- 2021: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
- 2020: Season canceled due to new coronavirus infection (COVID-19)
- 2019: Luis Robert, White Sox
- 2018: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
- 2017: Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves (2018 NL RoY, 2023 NL MVP)
- 2016: Alex Bregman, Astros
- 2015: Blake Snell, Rays (2018 AL Cy Young, 2023 NL Cy Young)
- 2014: Kris Bryant, Cubs (2015 NL RoY, 2016 NL MVP)
- 2013: Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox
- year 2012: Wil Myers, Royals (2013 AL RoY)
- 2011: Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks (2022 NL MVP)
- 2010: Jeremy Hellickson, Rays (2011 AL RoY)
- 2009: Jason Heyward, Braves
- 2008: David Price, Rays (2012 AL, Cy Young)
- 2007: Justin Upton, Diamondbacks
- 2006:Matt Garza, Twins
- Year 2005:Francisco Liriano, Twins
- 2004: Jeff Francis, Rockies
- 2003: Prince Fielder, Brewers
- 2002: Jose Reyes, Mets
- 2001: Josh Beckett, Marlins
- the year of 2000: Josh Hamilton, Devil Rays (2010 AL MVP)
- 1999: Rick Ankiel, Cardinals
- 1998: Gabe Kapler, Tigers
- 1997: Ben Grieve, Athletics (1998 AL RoY)
- 1996: Andrew Jones, Braves
- 1995: Andrew Jones, Braves
- 1994: Billy Ashley, Dodgers
- 1993: Cliff Floyd, Expos
- 1992: Carlos Delgado, Blue Jays
- 1991: Mark Wohlers, Braves
- 1990: Tino Martinez, Mariners
- 1989: Todd Zeil, Cardinals
- 1988: Mike Harkey, Cubs