HOLLIDAY TAKES FLIGHT

Jackson Holliday began the season at Low-A Delmarva. He began the second half of the season at Double-A Bowie.

- Geoff Pontes, Kyle Glaser & Josh Norris

HIGH-A

In the process, the 19-year-old Orioles shortstop became one of the major storylines of the 2023 minor league season.

Holliday won Best Tools categories in the High-A South Atlantic and Double-A Eastern leagues, including Best Batting Prospect and Most Exciting Player in both.

What makes Holliday stand out is his ability to hit for a high batting average and reach base at a high clip. His plate skills are plus-plus, and he shows innate bat-to-ball skills and the ability to hit a variety of pitches.

Holliday's contact skills proved too much for pitchers in the lower minors. He hit .331/.466/.523 in 71 games at two Class A stops. He then handled Double-A pitchers with similar mastery.

The Orioles chose Holliday, the 2022 High School Player of the Year, with the first overall pick last year. His ability to adjust his barrel to take a variety of swings on the ball gives him the look of a contact-only hitter, but his power swing is capable of unleashing the occasional towering shot.

Holliday's plate discipline is exceptional and likely the best of his many above-average to plus tools. He discerns balls and strikes as well as any player in the minors despite being a teenager.

His ability to get on base in a variety of ways and then steal bases earned him Most Exciting Player votes across multiple leagues.