Jackson Holliday's first home run ball met a heartwarming fate

When number one overall draft pick Jackson Holliday made his MLB debut for the Baltimore Orioles, he had high expectations to live up to. In addition to living in the shadows of his father who was a former MLB all-star (Matt Holliday), Jackson flew through the minors with impressive numbers. Once he got a taste of what the big leagues are all about, reality set in.

Through his first 36 plate appearances in the majors, Jackson Holliday hit a shockingly low .059 and struck out 18 times. He was having a tough time adjusting to big-league pitching. As a result, Holliday was sent back down to Triple-A.

On July 31, Holliday called back up and wasted no time proving that necessary adjustments had been made. In the bottom of the 5th inning with the bases juiced, Jackson faced a 0-2 count. Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yerry Rodriguez left a breaking ball over the plate and Holliday didn't miss it. For his first big league home run, Jackson Holliday smashed a grand slam over the right field wall.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray's work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.

Jackson Holliday reunites with milestone baseball

Most home run balls at Major League Baseball games get to be kept by the lucky fan who gets it in their possession first. However, when it is the first home run for a young player, it obviously has more value for the one who hit it.

A father and son were fortunate enough to grab Holliday's first MLB home run at Camden Yards on Wednesday. As if they weren't lucky enough, they were able to give Jackson the baseball in a very heartwarming interaction.

To see such a humble, professional demeanor from 20-year-old Jackson Holliday is very encouraging to the Orioles organization. The young boy was gifted a bat from Holliday in exchange for the home run ball. Let's hope that one day, this young man does in fact get to experience an interaction like this one from Jackson Holliday's perspective.