As the primary half of the MLB season got here to a detailed Sunday, government vp and common supervisor Mike Elias can look across the Orioles group and really feel assured in its path. Baltimore is heading into the All-Star break at .500, and with the primary general choose in Sunday evening’s draft, the Orioles buoyed an already prospect-rich farm system with the choice of highschool shortstop Jackson Holliday.
“I think this Orioles organization is in the healthiest spot it’s been in in a very long time,” Elias stated. “And it just got a lot healthier 20 minutes ago.”
Jackson, who the Orioles chosen out of Stillwater High School in Oklahoma, was named Baseball America’s highschool Player of the Year. The 18-year-old is the son of seven-time All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday, so he’s already been round a giant league clubhouse.
There’s nonetheless loads to refine about his sport — as is the case for any excessive schooler — however the choose was as near a consensus as Elias may want for among the many Orioles’ draft room. Once a contract is signed between Baltimore and Holliday, the rookie will report back to the Florida Complex League to start his skilled profession.
Until then, listed below are 5 issues to know concerning the Orioles’ first general choice.
A significant league dad
Holliday isn’t alone on this. For the primary time ever, the highest two picks within the draft had been sons of former main league gamers — Holliday to the Orioles and Druw Jones, the son of Andruw Jones, to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Matt Holliday performed 15 years within the majors, together with eight with the St. Louis Cardinals, whom he represented 4 instances within the Midsummer Classic.
But past the potential energy and pace between Matt and Jackson Holliday, the similarities largely finish there. For one, they play completely different positions. Jackson is a left-handed batter whereas his father hit right-handed.
“He’s his own player,” Elias stated.
Holliday spent loads of time in main league clubhouses, although, along with his dad retiring as soon as he turned 14. Being up near that way of life helped put together Holliday for this second.
“I remember being in the clubhouse ever since he got to St. Louis,” Jackson Holliday stated. “It’s definitely an advantage. I’ve gotten to see what it takes to get to the big leagues, and how players — even when they’re at the top of their game — how they still work to maintain it.”
He tasks to stay a shortstop
It’s onerous to determine precisely how gamers will all match into a company, and the Orioles have loads of center infield expertise already within the higher ranges of the minors, together with Jordan Westburg and Gunnar Henderson, who rank as their No. 4 and a couple of prospects, based on Baseball America. But Elias expects Holliday to stay a shortstop as a professional.
And with the athleticism of most shortstops and their capability to maneuver across the discipline, discovering enjoying time shouldn’t be tough. Elias famous how when he was with the Houston Astros, they chose Alex Bregman the yr Carlos Correa debuted, and “we never worried about it, and sure enough found a way to get both of those great players into the lineup.”
Holliday is aware of there’ll at all times be competitors for the shortstop position. But he’s keen to carry down the place.
“The shortstop is kind of where the best player likes to play,” Holliday stated. “Every team that I’ve gotten to be a part of has had a lot of great players, and I’ve gotten really good at playing other positions. I played a lot of second base last summer. But shortstop is kind of my lane and what I enjoy doing.”
Family of coaches
Beyond having a dad who performed within the majors, Holliday’s household is stuffed with coaches. His uncle, Josh, is the coach at Oklahoma State, and his dad is an assistant there. Holliday’s grandfather and great-uncle beforehand coached at Oklahoma State, too.
That’s the varsity Holliday had been dedicated to, however after being chosen with the primary choose, he possible won’t ever play for the Cowboys. But his uncle, Josh, wasn’t too damage to study he’ll be dropping his prime recruit.
“He was very excited tonight,” Holliday stated of his uncle. “It was kind of cool to see. He was one of the first people that I saw after, so I think he’ll be fine.”
Record-breaking senior season attracted scouts
Elias admitted Holliday wasn’t initially within the Orioles’ plans to be the highest choice throughout final yr’s winter conferences. But a speedy improvement main into Holliday’s senior season this spring despatched scouts flooding into Oklahoma to see him play, they usually had been wowed.
Holliday slashed .685/.749/1.392 with 52 extra-base hits and 79 RBIs. His 89 hits broke a nationwide single-season highschool file that belonged to present Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Holliday stated he was capable of full on-line courses, permitting him and his dad to “take advantage of everything I could to hopefully be in this position.”
“Me and my dad were able to train and work out and hit almost every single day, and it kind of grew me as a whole player,” Holliday stated. “I’m someone who wants to be good at everything. I don’t want to have a weakness, so trying to just grow myself as a person and as a player was something that was very important, and it worked.”
He’s not new to Camden Yards
Whenever Holliday reaches the majors and performs at Camden Yards, it gained’t be his first time enjoying baseball inside Oriole Park. When his dad performed for the New York Yankees in 2017, Holliday shagged fly balls throughout batting follow at Camden Yards.
“It’s something that I still remember and I’m very excited to get back to that point,” Holliday stated. “They’re a great organization and they’re heading in the right direction, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com