The Baltimore Orioles have announced that they have optioned shortstop Jackson Holliday to Triple-A Norfolk. The move comes after Holliday struggled in his brief time with the major league club, going 2-for-34 with five runs scored and 18 strikeouts in 10 games.
Holliday made his MLB debut on April 10 against the Boston Red Sox but failed to record his first career hit until his fourth game on April 14. He would only record one more hit before being sent down to Triple-A on Friday.
The Orioles were initially criticized for leaving Holliday off their MLB roster at the start of the season, and his struggles in the majors have only intensified those criticisms. However, the Orioles hope that sending Holliday back down to the minors will help him regain his confidence and develop his skills further.
Holliday is a highly touted prospect who was considered one of the best shortstops in the minor leagues last year. He hit .315 with 18 home runs and 60 RBIs in 109 games with Double-A Bowie in 2023. He also played well in spring training, hitting .333 with two home runs and six RBIs in 15 games.
Despite his impressive minor league numbers, Holliday has struggled to make the adjustment to the major leagues. He has struck out in 18 of his 34 at-bats and has yet to drive in a run.
The Orioles are hoping that Holliday can regain his form in Triple-A and eventually return to the major leagues as a productive player. He is still just 20 years old and has plenty of time to develop.
In the meantime, the Orioles will likely give more playing time to veteran shortstop Adam Frazier. Frazier is a two-time Gold Glove winner who has a career batting average of .273. He is not as good of a hitter as Holliday, but he is a better fielder and has more experience.
