Jackson Holliday 2023

[Sports Guy]

Is it a foregone conclusion that he starts at Delmarva or is there a chance they just send him to Aberdeen right off the bat?h

He only had 58 PA in Delmarva, so I’m assuming he starts there but Aberdeen wouldn’t surprise me and I think that may be the best spot to start, although what matters is that he ends up in AA this year, which I think he will.

[yark14]

5 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Is it a foregone conclusion that he starts at Delmarva or is there a chance they just send him to Aberdeen right off the bat?h

He only had 58 PA in Delmarva, so I’m assuming he starts there but Aberdeen wouldn’t surprise me and I think that may be the best spot to start, although what matters is that he ends up in AA this year, which I think he will.

Looking forward to seeing more of his at bats this spring.  Knowing Elias he'll probably start in Delmarva...but if that happens Jackson will quickly show he is above that level.

[RZNJ]

I’ve got him pegged for Aberdeen and paired with Bencosme in the MI.   He’s an advanced hitter.  He came into the organization already disciplined to the point Henderson got to as a 20 year old.   Hard to believe that Carter Young is a better or more advanced hitter.   I do believe  the Orioles realize that Aberdeen is the right level to start Holliday.

[Frobby]

I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that he’ll start in Delmarva, but I’m still betting on a short stint there.  I’d put the odds at 60/40.   I do believe he’s a guy who could change the Orioles’ minds with a good camp if he shows he’s just too advanced to be facing low A pitching.  

[sportsfan8703]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that he’ll start in Delmarva, but I’m still betting on a short stint there.  I’d put the odds at 60/40.   I do believe he’s a guy who could change the Orioles’ minds with a good camp if he shows he’s just too advanced to be facing low A pitching.  

Bowie at the lowest. This dude is real special. I think it was last offseason that @Can_of_corn suggested we just stick Gunnar at 3B on Opening Day. That was before Gunnar blew up. You could make the same argument with Holliday on the big club. Even if it was at 2B. 

You can’t tell me that over 162 that Holliday isn’t going to outhit Frazier and Mateo. Also, he’ll get better. We have to start paying our players sometimes. 

[Frobby]

3 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Bowie at the lowest. This dude is real special. I think it was last offseason that @Can_of_corn suggested we just stick Gunnar at 3B on Opening Day. That was before Gunnar blew up. You could make the same argument with Holliday on the big club. Even if it was at 2B. 

You can’t tell me that over 162 that Holliday isn’t going to outhit Frazier and Mateo. Also, he’ll get better. We have to start paying our players sometimes. 

I wouldn’t put Frazier (.728 career OPS) in the same bucket as Mateo (.645).   And no, I wouldn’t bet on Holliday outhitting either one if he spent 2023 in the majors.  

[sportsfan8703]

35 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I wouldn’t put Frazier (.728 career OPS) in the same bucket as Mateo (.645).   And no, I wouldn’t bet on Holliday outhitting either one if he spent 2023 in the majors.  

I think his game is more suited for a quick rise through a system more so than a Bobby Witt. Witt arrived pretty fast too. Covid slowed him down. 
 

The reality is also that Holliday just isn’t some prospect. He went #1 overall. Son of a MLB player. He’s had a way more coaching and training than even his peers. 
 

I would predict that he would put up better numbers than Mateo in 2023, and that by August/September that he would clearly be the better player over Frazier. 
 

You can’t discount the superstar gene. 

[ChosenOne21]

20 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

You can’t discount the superstar gene. 

Ryan Ripken says hi. 

[sportsfan8703]

27 minutes ago, ChosenOne21 said:

Ryan Ripken says hi. 

I was talking about going #1 overall and not his actual genes of being Matt Holliday’s son. Lol. 

[Aristotelian]

6 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

I was talking about going #1 overall and not his actual genes of being Matt Holliday’s son. Lol. 

You did mention son of MLB ballplayer. To be fair, Ryan Ripken did not go 1:1. 

[Frobby]

12 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

I think his game is more suited for a quick rise through a system more so than a Bobby Witt. Witt arrived pretty fast too. Covid slowed him down. 
 

The reality is also that Holliday just isn’t some prospect. He went #1 overall. Son of a MLB player. He’s had a way more coaching and training than even his peers. 
 

I would predict that he would put up better numbers than Mateo in 2023, and that by August/September that he would clearly be the better player over Frazier. 
 

You can’t discount the superstar gene. 

How many 1-1 guys out of high school made it to the majors the following year?  ARod got into a few games.  Jeff Burroughs did, for even fewer games.  David Clyde pitched a game in the majors before ever pitching in the minors, for sone idiotic reason.   I think that’s the whole list.  

[sevastras]

I think he should start at AA and progress from there. Problem is the log jam in front of him with Westburg and Ortiz. Something has to give. I have a hard time moving Ortiz off SS. I want to keep Westburg. I think if you start Holliday in AA and he is more than holding his own by midseason, maybe put Ortiz out there for a premium trade piece?  I guess it really depends on Mateo and what he is doing. If Mateo turns up the bat to maybe a .265 average and .290 OBP, the Os have a great problem. (Assuming no injuries and Holliday, Westburg and Ortiz also develope well).  Fun and difficult spot for Elias. 

[sportsfan8703]

8 hours ago, Frobby said:

How many 1-1 guys out of high school made it to the majors the following year?  ARod got into a few games.  Jeff Burroughs did, for even fewer games.  David Clyde pitched a game in the majors before ever pitching in the minors, for sone idiotic reason.   I think that’s the whole list.  

Lewis and Moniak went recently 1:1 as HS position players, but those were weak drafts. Those prospects weren’t on the level of Holliday. Harper, Correa, and Witt, would be the best comps. Those guys were bigger guys with more swing and miss. Holliday is just a different player. His power is going to come by filling out, and not by spending “x” amount of time in the minors. 

[Frobby]

42 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Lewis and Moniak went recently 1:1 as HS position players, but those were weak drafts. Those prospects weren’t on the level of Holliday. Harper, Correa, and Witt, would be the best comps. Those guys were bigger guys with more swing and miss. Holliday is just a different player. His power is going to come by filling out, and not by spending “x” amount of time in the minors. 

I want to know what has you so convinced that Holliday is a “special” 1:1. I am not saying he’s not, but I’m trying not to look at him with Orange-colored glasses. It’s not like he was a consensus 1:1. There were many posters and pundits who wanted to use the 1:1 pick on Druw Jones or someone else.  He played well in limited action last year, but it’s not like he posted a 1.000 OPS in low A.   It was .772, largely driven by walking a lot.  I think we’ve established that he has elite strike zone judgment, but we haven’t really established much else.  Fabian had a 1.322 OPS in low A, Beavers .999, Wagner .841.  So it’s not like he was outperforming the college guys drafted below him.  

Again, I’m not saying he won’t be a great player, or can’t move up the ladder fast.  
But for me, he still has to prove it, I’m not going to just assume it. 

[Sports Guy]

It wouldn’t surprise me if Holliday could come up and give the team a 625-650 OPS and very good defense but I don’t think that’s worth using up a service time season to get.

Now, starting in 2024?  That may be a different story. 
 

I don’t think his age needs to matter. How good you are is what matters.  And going to the minors out of HS is a good thing for maturity reasons, getting used to the life, etc…