SI

Jackson Holliday Shared Heartfelt Exchange With Young Fan Who Caught First Home Run

Tom Dierberger

Jackson Holliday meets a young fan after hitting his first career home run Wednesday against the Blue Jays.
Jackson Holliday meets a young fan after hitting his first career home run Wednesday against the Blue Jays. / Baltimore Orioles
In this story:

Baltimore Orioles rookie Jackson Holliday had an afternoon to remember Wednesday at Camden Yards.

In the bottom of the fifth inning of Baltimore's series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays, Holliday stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and Baltimore leading 4–3. After taking a called strike and fouling off a pitch, Holliday mashed an 0–2 slider from Yerry Rodriguez 439 feet over the right-field wall for a grand slam—his first career home run.

A herd of Orioles fans chased down the baseball once it landed, but it was a young fan with his dad who retrieved the souvenir. After the game, that youngster had the opportunity to meet Holliday and present the 20-year-old rookie with his first home run ball.

Holliday paid back the young fan with a signed bat and a friendly conversation in the Orioles' clubhouse.

Holliday, the consensus top prospect in all of baseball, was recalled by the Orioles ahead of Wednesday's game. He is beginning his second tenure in the big leagues after his first one ended in disappointment—a .059/.111/.059 slashline and 18 strikeouts in 36 plate appearances.

It appears the extra reps in the minor leagues have paid off—and now, Holliday has a souvenir to prove it.

Published |Modified
Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

Home/MLB