Jackson Holliday unsurprisingly ranks as MLB Pipeline's top shortstop prospect

MLB Pipeline continued their series of top 10 prospects at each position ahead of the reveal of their preseason top 100 prospects list. On Wednesday, they covered shortstop, and it should be no surprise that phenom Jackson Holliday is at the top of the list.

Jackson Holliday obviously tops list of top shortstop prospects

Entering his first full season of pro ball in 2023 after being the first overall pick in 2022, Holliday lit the minor leagues on fire. He started the year with Low A Delmarva and was promoted three times during the season, ending the year with Triple A Norfolk and winning the Triple A league title. He made Baseball America's Minor League All-Star Team and is the clear-cut best prospect in baseball.

Across all four levels he played at last year, Holliday had a .323/.442/.499 slash line with a .941 OPS, hitting 12 home runs and 30 doubles with 75 RBIs in 125 total games. He is a strong candidate to be in the majors as soon as opening day and is a Rookie of the Year contender as well.

Holliday was also all over the top tools section, with MLB Pipeline assessing who of the top 10 prospects listed has the best tool for each type, those being hit, power, run, arm, and field. They also assess who has the highest ceiling and highest floor among other categories. Only the top player in each category is listed.

They gave Holliday a 70 grade hit tool, the second-highest grade a player can get, with 80 grade being tops. He got a 60 grade power tool as well, ranking at the top of those two categories. They list him as having both the highest ceiling and highest floor as well as being the most likely Rookie of the Year candidate among the bunch.

Holliday has a pair of AL East foes in the top 10 with him that he could be facing off against for a while to come. Boston Red Sox 2021 first round pick and 2024 debut candidate Marcelo Mayer is ranked fifth on the list and Tampa Bay Rays 2021 first rounder Carson Williams is ranked seventh.

There is a very real chance that Holliday breaks camp with the Orioles to start the season, but even if he doesn't, he's in a great position to have a long and prosperous major league future.