MLB Rumors: Orioles may have no choice but to keep Jackson Holliday in the majors

The Baltimore Orioles already had a lineup full of homegrown, stud-level talent coming into 2024. Now you can add one more name to the pile of recent draft picks taking the league by storm. After the Orioles' 2019 second-round pick Gunnar Henderson won the AL Rookie of the Year in 2023, it looks like MLB Pipeline's No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday is next in line.

Holliday, the highly anticipated No. 1 pick from the 2022 MLB Draft, is running roughshod over the competition in spring training. As each day goes by, he's making it more apparent that he deserves a spot on the Orioles' Opening Day roster and making it more difficult for them not to include him.

In 10 games (31 at-bats) this spring, the left-handed hitting Holliday is batting .323 with a .957 OPS. He has one home run, a grand slam against lefty Yusei Kikuchi, five RBI, and a pair of doubles, triples, and stolen bases. The one red flag that you might be able to raise is his 12 strikeouts to one walk.

But then you remember that he is still just 20 years old.

Plus, strikeouts haven't been a problem for him before, at any level. His highest strikeout rate came in High-A last season when he struck out at a 20.8 percent clip. He improved that to 18.7 percent by the time he reached Triple-A during his torrid race through the minors. It's safe to say he's taking an aggressive approach in his Grapefruit League action, with dreams of making the Orioles Opening Day squad.

Industry experts think Jackson Holliday should start Opening Day in the majors

Orioles fans obviously want to see the next big thing suit up for the big club on Opening Day. But now, even industry experts are weighing in on what Baltimore should do with less than three weeks until the season begins.

MLB insider Jon Morosi laid out the youngster's case on Tuesday morning in a segment on MLB Hot Stove.

"Jackson Holliday. You go back to what Brandon Hyde said at the beginning of spring. He's going to get a lot of starts at short and second. Well, he's delivering ... he's started on back-to-back days now," Morosi said. "At this point, I think it would be a surprise if he does not make the Opening Day roster. He's got an OPS close to 1.000, he's hitting for power, he's playing defense up the middle."

Holliday is just one of the many young Orioles taking advantage of playing time this spring. While there won't be room for all of the team's young talent, it would certainly be a surprise to almost everyone if the No. 1 prospect didn't head north to Baltimore as part of the Opening Day roster.