Jackson Holliday may not have set the world on fire immediately after the Baltimore Orioles called him up earlier in the season, but he was the consensus number one prospect in the entire MLB for a reason. Holliday is stepping up for the Orioles at exactly the right time, and on Wednesday night, he played a starring role in their 7-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays that ties them with the New York Yankees for the AL East division lead.
Entering the top of the seventh inning, the Orioles found themselves down 3-2 to the Blue Jays. Holliday came to the plate with one out and a runner on second, and he promptly took Ryan Burr deep, giving Baltimore a lead that they would not relinquish.
In so doing, Jackson Holliday has now hit a home run in three consecutive games. This is no mean feat, as at 20 years of age, the Orioles second baseman became the youngest player in the history of the American League to homer in three straight contests, according to the official MLB account on X. He beat out all-time greats Ted Williams and Babe Ruth to notch the feat, which is incredible to say the least.
Youngest players in AL history with with a Home Run in 3 straight games
Jackson Holliday (20 years, 247 days)
Ted Williams (21 years, 0 days)
Babe Ruth (21 years, 127 days)
Gleyber Torres (21 years, 161 days) pic.twitter.com/b4JzoaKWzV— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) August 8, 2024
Holliday has had his fair share of ups and downs in his first foray into the big leagues, but he is putting together a more consistent string of solid performances as of late. The Orioles have high hopes for the 20-year-old middle infielder, and it’s looking like it’s only going to be a matter of time before he emerges as one of the best power hitters in the league.
Jackson Holliday got next for the Orioles
The Orioles have the most stacked farm system in the MLB, as they have a blend of top-tier prospects and the depth to match. Jackson Holliday is the crown jewel of this farm system, but he hasn’t had the smoothest time when it comes to acclimating to the level of pitching in the MLB.
Holliday was called up by the Orioles in April 2024 and he proceeded to struggle. He couldn’t hit a lick, as his strikeout problems posed a lot of issues that the Orioles thought would be best remedied by a trip back to the minors. The 20-year-old middle infielder went 2-34 through his first 10 MLB games, and was promptly sent back down to Triple-A as a result.
But since his return to the MLB in late July, Holliday is slashing .375/.444./917 to go along with four home runs and 10 runs batted in. He has also just struck out at a much more manageable 29 percent. Things are looking up for the Orioles’ top prospect as he looks to make second base at Camden Yards his long-term home.
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