Orioles Found an Awesome Way to Tell Jackson Holliday He’s Being Called Up to MLB

Kristen Wong | Apr 10, 2024

Screengrab on Twitter/ @Orioles

It took less than two years for Jackson Holliday to get called up by the Baltimore Orioles and less than two minutes for the Orioles to tell him. It would be two minutes the MLB’s top prospect won’t easily forget.

A day after the Orioles announced they were calling up the 20-year-old infielder, Baltimore posted an emotional behind-the-scenes video of the moment Holliday found out he was going to the big leagues.

“Tonight, I want you to call your dad,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias told Holliday. “I want you to talk to him, and I want you to thank him for all the times that he’s allowed you to come to the clubhouse, be on his pass list, let you hit with the big boys. That’s pretty special, and it plays into a lot of what you’re about.”

Elias continued, “The second thing I want you to tell him is that now, it’s time for him to ask for permission to be on Jackson Holliday’s pass list, because you’re going to the big leagues.”

Call your dad 🧡 pic.twitter.com/a7wUO13W9A

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) April 10, 2024

It’s the stuff of inspirational sports movies.

Holliday will wear No. 7, the same number worn by his father, Matt Holliday, for most of his 15-year MLB career.

Holliday, the No. 1 pick in the 2022 MLB draft out of Stillwater, Oklahoma, rapidly rose through Baltimore’s farm system and slashed .321/.451/.497 with a .949 OPS and 15 homers in 155 games.

Less than three weeks after the Orioles sent him to Triple A at the end of spring training this season, Holliday could make his MLB debut when the AL East reigning champs play the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Wednesday.