BOSTON—Jackson Holliday, the top prospect in baseball, took a 6 a.m. flight from Richmond, Virginia to Boston, and he sat in the visitor’s dugout at Fenway Park about 10 hours later, the 20-year-old Oriole said he was more excited than nervous about his major league debut on Wednesday night.
Holliday will be batting ninth and playing second base. He had hoped to make the team out of spring training, but he played 10 games for an offensively potent Triple-A Norfolk team.
“I got a lot of at-bats because we scored lots of runs,” Holliday said of the Tides. “I was able to get pretty comfortable. I feel like my swing’s in a good spot. I put together a lot of good at-bats versus lefties, which I knew that was kind of more the purpose of being down there.”
Holliday played well in Grapefruit League games, and he’s pleased about the promotion.
“I got a taste a little bit during spring training,” he said. “Obviously, it’s a little bit different now during the season. I feel like I was able to hold my own and definitely looking forward to tonight.”
Holliday was reassigned to minor league camp on March 22nd, three days before the end of spring training, in a move that surprised many, including Holliday.
“I was a little disappointed,” he said. “My goal was to make the team out of camp. I understood why. I knew I had a job to do, and I was able to do that. I’m here. I’m excited to be here and be with this team.”
He acknowledges some uneasiness before his debut.
“Nervous? A little bit, not too bad, not as nervous as I thought I would be,” he said. “Kind of change the mind frame from nervous to excitement.”
When Holliday signed after he was the overall top draft choice in July 2022, he said he hoped he could be in the major leagues in two years. He’s beaten that goal.
“To be able to actually do that is really exciting,” he said. “After the first pitch or the first ground ball or however it is, I think I’ll be fine,” Holliday said.
Holliday will wear No. 7, worn by longtime Orioles coach and onetime manager Cal Ripken Sr., and his son Bill.
“It’s really cool for me to be able to wear that, to be able to share that with their family and represent and wear that number, it’s really special to me,” Holliday said.
Orioles lineup:
Gunnar Henderson SS
Adley Rutschman C
Anthony Santander RF
Ryan O’Hearn DH
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Cedric Mullins CF
Colton Cowser LF
Jordan Westburg 3B
Jackson Holliday 2B