As the son of seven-time All-Star and World Series champion Matt Holliday, Jackson Holliday’s path to Major League Baseball was clearer than most. Still, the younger Holliday proved from a young age he brought more to the game than his name.
Jackson, whom the Baltimore Orioles selected No. 1 overall in the 2022 MLB Draft, displayed a deep understanding of the game as early as age three. According to a New York Times profile on Matt’s family before the 2007 World Series, the then 3-year-old Jackson often mimicked the batting stances of MLB superstars such as Albert Pujols and David Ortiz.
“When you’re imitating big leaguers at 3 years old, obviously, you’re a pretty good showman,” said Tom Holliday, Matt’s father, who told the Times he dreamed of Jackson somehow entering the draft at age 15.
Family members weren’t the only ones raving about Jackson’s skills. Former Rockies infielder Jamey Carroll reportedly described Jackson’s hitting as “awesome,” and his teammate Josh Fogg had no doubts he would one day be a first-round draft pick. Longtime Rockies video coordinator Brian Jones added Jackson “just picks up on everything.”
A couple other incredible nuggets from Tyler Kepner’s story: Jackson’s favorite show at the time of publication was a highlight tape of the College World Series, and he once skipped a fireworks display to meet his father in the Rockies’ batting cage.
With the honor of being the 2022 MLB Draft’s top pick, it seems Jackson’s intense commitment to baseball has paid off.
