The Orioles picked Jackson Holliday, shortstop from Stillwater, Oklahoma, first overall in the 2022 MLB amateur draft. He is the son of former major league All-Star Matt Holliday.
Check out this recent video of Jackson and his dad Matt.
Here is his scouting report from MLB.com:
Scouting grades:Â Hit: 60 | Power: 55 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 60
The son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday, Jackson not only has some of the best bloodlines in the high school class but also is one of its better hitters. Though he struggled at times on the showcase circuit last summer when he got too focused on homers, he finished strong and has taken his game to another level as a high school senior and should go in the first five selections. Gatorade’s Oklahoma prep player of the year, he broke J.T. Realmuto’s national high school record for hits in a season with 89 in 41 games while batting .685/.749/1.392.
Holliday has an advanced approach, no surprise given his roots, and a knack for putting the barrel on the ball. He usually makes consistent hard contact, though he didn’t during the summer when he let his simple left-handed stroke get too long. After getting bigger and stronger, he’s hitting the ball with more authority than ever this spring, and he also looks more relaxed at the plate and is letting his considerable power come naturally.
Holliday has gotten faster as he has gotten stronger, and he now flashes plus-plus run times as a senior and is a consistent plus runner. He’s throwing better too, and his solid to plus arm strength and enhanced quickness give him a better opportunity to remain at shortstop. His high baseball IQ also helps his chances after many evaluators previously believed he was destined for second or third base. In the unlikely event that he makes it to college, he’ll play for his uncle Josh, the head coach at Oklahoma State, where Matt is a volunteer assistant.
