He's back: Jackson Holliday's return to second base is a warning for rest of Orioles

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles, Jackson Holliday put on a show on Friday after returning to second base for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. Holliday had spent three weeks as a designated hitter to treat left elbow inflammation.

Jackson Holliday is naturally a short stop but with all-star Gunnar Henderson securing that spot in the big leagues, Holliday will need to prove he can play other positions if he wants another shot in the majors any time soon, hence the reps at second base. After his performance on Friday, the 20-year-old could be a step closer to getting the call to the show.

With Friday being the first game back from the all-star break, Holliday showed that he was eager to get back to action. He stepped in the batter's box as the first hitter of the bottom of the first and blasted the first pitch he saw over the wall. To make this home run more impressive, it was off Joe Ross who is a big league pitcher for the Brewers making a rehab start.

Holliday was not done after that at-bat. Norfolk was able to send Holliday back to the plate in the bottom of the second inning. He saw nearly the same pitch and had the same result: a big fly.

"That was a good night for me and I'm happy with the progress that we're making and back to hitting high fastballs." Holliday said regarding his multi-homer performance.

Jackson Holliday returning to second base could pave road for return to majors

In his 10 games with the Baltimore Orioles, Holliday struck out a total of 18 times. The inability to adjust to big league pitching raised major concerns. It sounds like the progress Holliday has made has built his confidence and could be putting some jobs in jepoardy.

As previously mentioned, Jackson Holliday will not be taking Gunnar Henderson's spot. However, if he continues to perform at this level, he could potentially be an upgrade at second base for the O's once it comes down to crunch time.

Jorge Mateo, Jordan Westburg and Ramon Urias are all splitting time at second base this season for Baltimore. Westburg did snag a spot on the American League All-Star team so his job would not be easy for Holliday to claim either. This is where the luxury of a DH could help Holliday land a MLB roster spot.

If Jackson Holliday continues to hit like this, the AL East leaders will have no choice but to find a position for him. His recent performance likely shut down any trade discussions that were happening prior to Friday.