The Orioles have found their leadoff hitter of the future

Jackson Holliday knows how to put the bat on the baseball. That fact hasn't been in doubt since the moment Holliday made his professional debut. At just 18 years old, the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday appeared in 20 minor league games. He hit .297 with a .489 on-base percentage, striking out just a dozen times compared to 25 walks.

His first full season, a year later, was even better. In 2023, the former No. 1 overall pick sped through four different levels of the minor leagues with a .323 batting average and .941 on-base plus slugging percentage. He made it all the way to Triple-A Norfolk, where his plate approach still impressed as the youngest player at the level.

His big league debut, however, got off to a rockier start. Last season, Holliday appeared in 60 games at the major league level. He hit just .189 with 69 strikeouts and a .565 OPS, leaving some to question if his development was rushed or if he would ever truly reach his potential.

Those questions are being answered.

Jackson Holliday is becoming the leadoff hitter the Orioles need

In his last 30 games, Holliday is hitting .292 with a .364 on-base percentage and .845 OPS. According to Statcast, the 21-year-old ranks in the 70th percentile or better in: expected-weighted on-base average, expected batting average, expected slugging percentage, hard-hit percentage, launch angle sweet-spot percentage, chase rate, and sprint speed. Those last two stats are ideal for a leadoff hitter. That's exactly what Holliday is turning into.

The former top prospect has hit leadoff in nine of his last 11 games. In those 41 at-bats, Holliday mashed two home runs, a double, and a triple.

The left-hander is back to doing what made him so successful in the minors: taking what a pitcher is giving him. Last season, Holliday's pull percentage was north of 39 percent. This year, that number is just over 26 percent. He's using the entire field, with substantial increases in his percentage of batted balls to center field and the opposite way. Holliday is being more aggressive in the zone, too, swinging at more strikes and making more contact.

Of course, at just 21 years of age, there are still places where Holliday can improve. Despite not chasing out of the zone much, his six percent walk rate is still a far cry from his numbers in the minors. But this is the leap that everyone was waiting for.

Not much has gone right for the Orioles this season. But, if Baltimore wants to turn things around, it'll be their young core of position players that drives it there. Penciling in a 1-2-3 of Holliday, Adley Rutschman, and Gunnar Henderson every day with confidence is a great foundation.

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