Jackson Holliday Optioned Back to AAA, Ryan McKenna Called Up
The Baltimore Orioles second baseman and Major League Baseball’s top prospect, Jackson Holliday has been optioned to the AAA Norfolk Tides, after two weeks in the majors. Holliday made his debut on April 10th, 2024, and since then has played well in the field, but has only gotten two hits. The 20-year old had two walks and 18 strikeouts in 36 plate appearances, making his batting average .059.
Before his debut, Holliday was dominating at the AAA level, batting .333 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 10 games. Both the Orioles general manager, Mike Elias, and their manager, Brandon Hyde, say Holliday has a lot of talent, but the pressure at the major league level is tough, especially for a 20-year old making his debut. The Orioles believe more time with the Tides will allow Holliday to regain his form and confidence, fully preparing him for his major league career. The Orioles do not have a lot of space to help develop him at this time, as they are in a season-long AL East race and are working to have a long playoff run. More time for Holliday to develop his skills and become a more confident player will certainly turn him into a major-league level player in no time.
Another change in the Tides and Orioles lineup is the call-up of outfielder Ryan McKenna, who has had multiple stints at the major league level as he battles for a regular spot in the Orioles lineup. Overall, McKenna has batted .221 in his 282 games in the majors. McKenna played in 70 games during the 2023 season, batting .254 with 2 home runs, 31 hits, and 18 RBIs.
Over the next few weeks, there will likely be many more opportunities for AAA players, as many of them are on the cusp of being pulled up. Elias says their time is coming, but with so much young talent, it can be hard to give everyone the chance to prove themselves. It will be interesting to see how both the Orioles and Tides handle the high amount of talent they have and create the best lineup possible.
