Jackson Holliday 'Bright Young Talent', Baltimore Orioles GM Mike Elias Says

General manager Mike Elias had comments about what the Baltimore Orioles need from Jackson Holliday next season.

Sep 19, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (7) drives in two runs on his fourth-inning double against the San Francisco Giants at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

Things change fast around Major League Baseball. The Baltimore Orioles went from an up-and-coming team that no one expected to win the division in 2023 to one of the most disappointing ball clubs in baseball the next season.

While it's tough to be too upset with this young roster struggling again when it mattered most, that's the feeling around the league. The honeymoon phase is over, and entering 2025, the Orioles have more pressure on them than ever.

It'll all start with the young stars on the team. There are a few who need to step up next campaign, but none are bigger than Jackson Holliday.

Holliday made his debut last year, struggling mightily before being sent down. He was eventually called back up, but his second stint didn't go much better than his first.

The top prospect in Major League Baseball, the recently turned 21-year-old had higher expectations than many in baseball history.

It was a bit unfair to ever suggest that Holliday would come up and be a star instantly. Outside of a handful of players, that simply doesn't happen at the Big League level.

He slashed .189/.255/.311 with a 66 OPS+ and 11 extra-base hits in 190 at-bats.

It didn't go as planned, but Baltimore's general manager, Mike Elias, isn't too worried about it. He said Holliday is still a player they need and is excited for his future.

“He's a guy that we're counting on," Elias said on MLB Tonight. “He's somebody who got called into duty in the second half. We had a lot of injuries. He was thrust into an everyday role in the playoff race, at a very young age. One of the brightest young talents in the sport. He's going to be a really special hitter. He's somebody that we're looking to take a big leap this year, now that he's seen what the big leagues are all about. He's gone through some struggles like every player this day and age. But this guy is a really exciting, prodigious, special young hitter. He's going to have a great career.”

Not that anything suggested otherwise, but it's a good sign that Elias has confidence in his potential franchise player.

The fact is that Holliday has the makings to be an excellent Big League player one day. After everything he's shown in his young career, judging him off 190 at-bats would be unfair.

After a full year, hopefully under his belt in 2025, it'll be time to evaluate the player he is. Even then, he'll play an entire season at 21 years old, so there shouldn't be many worries if he struggles.