Top Baltimore Orioles prospect Jackson Holliday is on his way back to Baltimore.
Holliday, a late scratch from the Norfolk Tides game with Charlotte on Tuesday, could be in the Baltimore dugout for Wednesday’s afternoon home game with Toronto.
If Holliday is activated, it will be the 20-year-old’s second stint in the Majors.
Holliday was called up to Baltimore in mid-April and went 2-for-34 in his 10 games, before being optioned back to Norfolk.
Since returning to Triple-A, Holliday has hit .278 with a .908 OPS.
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I had the opportunity to speak with Holliday in early June, and he was honest when describing his brief stint in Baltimore.
“I wasn’t completely ready,” Holliday said of his April callup to the big leagues.
Holliday said that facing big-league caliber pitching in the regular season was different from spring training.
“It was different, looking back. I think it was simply not being ready,” noted Holliday.
When Holliday was optioned back to Norfolk in April, the Orioles made it clear what he needed to work on.
Tides Director of Communications John Stanley said it was clear that Holliday was back in Norfolk to get back to basics.
Peter Michaud, the radio voice of the Tides, said on WBAL Tuesday evening that Holliday was ready to head back to Baltimore.
“He made great progress here,” said Michaud. “He walked as much as he struck out in July. It was obvious, he was locked in every night.”
So, by Tuesday’s 6 p.m. MLB trade deadline, the biggest move that the Orioles made, and they made plenty, wasn’t a trade.
Still, Tuesday was a crazy day as the Orioles made five trades, including sending second baseman Connor Norby to Miami, along with outfielder Kyle Stowers, for left-handed pitcher Trevor Rogers.
The Norby trade opened the door for Holliday, who will have the opportunity to take the Orioles’ second base position-for a long time.
Late rumors had the Orioles trading Holliday for a top-shelf starter, but Baltimore went in the opposite direction, holding onto Holliday, as well as their other top five rated prospects.
Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden of The Athletic said this when asked if he believed Baltimore would trade away Holliday.
“He’s (Holliday) a special talent. I never thought a trade would happen. The Orioles know what Holliday will provide them for a long time,” Bowden said.
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