Jackson Holliday DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Baltimore Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday will get the starting nod at shortstop and bat ninth on Opening Day. He will face Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios. Holliday was considered the best prospect in baseball entering the 2024 campaign. After being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, Holliday made his MLB debut last summer. However, across 60 games, the 21-year-old struggled as he posted a .189/.255/.311 slash line with five home runs and four stolen bases. He generated a modest .258 xwOBA but flashed elite speed as he placed in the 95th percentile in sprint speed. At the Triple-A level, Holliday posted a strong .271/.431/.477 slash line with 25 doubles and 10 home runs across 73 games. With Gunnar Henderson (side) on the injured list, fantasy managers should expect Holliday to be deployed as the everyday shortstop during the early part of the campaign. Given his struggles last season, he is best left on your bench in this contest.

Baltimore Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday has posted a strong .314/.385/.486 line through 12 contests in the Grapefruit League. His 11 total hits are the fourth-most by an Oriole in camp. This is a great sign for Holliday, as the former top prospect struggled to adjust to the major leagues last season. The 21-year-old posted an underwhelming .189/.235/.311 line across his first 60 MLB contests. During this stretch, Holliday hit just four doubles with five home runs. He generated a strong 45.1 percent hard-hit rate but held a high 33.2 percent strikeout rate. Through 91 contests at the Triple-A level, the former No. 1 overall pick posted a .270/.423/.460 slash line with 29 doubles and 12 long balls. Fantasy managers should expect Holliday to break camp as the starting second baseman in Baltimore.

With Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) up in the air to be ready for Opening Day in late March, manager Brandon Hyde said that second baseman Jackson Holliday will be getting some repetitions at shortstop in camp. Jordan Westburg could also get some looks at the 6 as the O's start to think about contingency plans in case Henderson opens the year on the injured list. The 21-year-old Holliday came up through the minors as a shortstop as Baltimore's top prospect before making his major-league debut at the keystone last year with Henderson entrenched at shortstop. Westburg also has experience at the position, although the Orioles are probably more inclined to keep him at the hot corner. If Henderson opens the year on the IL, the most likely scenario will be Holliday at short and veteran Ramon Urias being inserted into the lineup at second base.