The Baltimore Orioles have high hopes for the young stars on their roster, including Jackson Holliday. On Monday, they got a reminder of why they should cherish every minute they have with him.
After beating the Pirates 6-3 in a Grapefruit League outing, Holliday met up with reporters while wearing a shirt emblazoned with a dark omen: Scott Boras' company logo.
Yeah, sorry to kill the vibes. Holliday is repped by the most annoying agent in sports...
Boras has been Holliday's agent for years, so this isn't news, though it may be to some. The reminder still grates.
Don't expect Scott Boras to do much to help the Orioles retain Jackson Holliday long term
The Orioles are, of course, familiar with Boras' game. He repped Corbin Burnes this past winter. Unsurprisingly, the pitcher landed a big money deal elsewhere.
Boras challenged the Orioles to pony up for Burnes, but let's be real. The agent plays the market hard to maximize the dollar figures his clients can command. If it wasn't the Diamondbacks, someone else was going to outbid Baltimore.
That's the fear with Holliday. If he lives up to his full potential, the possibility of keeping him long-term seems slim. It might even feel impossible with Boras pulling the strings.
Boras won't let Holliday do anything team-friendly. Despite past noises, he's unlikely to negotiate an extension. (Remember, he said the Orioles were in the race to sign Burnes.)
Granted, living up to his potential is still in the air. Holliday struggled in 2024, especially at the beginning of his rookie season. He took a trip down to the minors after batting .059/.111/.059 in his first 10 games.
He improved considerably in the second half of the season, but he still wasn't reaching the heights projected for him when he was taken first overall in the MLB Draft.
Holliday had two hits in Monday's win, both to the opposite field. His confidence seems to be growing.
That's great for the Orioles in the short term, but there will always be that little tickle in the back of fans' minds. This might not be for long.