"This is a hard talent to get your hands on" - Orioles GM Mike Elias says top prospect Jackson Holliday unlikely to be traded this month
As we near the MLB trade deadline, Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias has stated that top prospect Jackson Holliday is unlikely to be traded this month. The 20-year-old infielder was promoted to the majors this year by the Orioles but was subsequently sent back down after struggling over ten appearances.
Hence, there have been questions about whether the youngster may be offered for a trade this year, but Elias was quick to dismiss the notion, saying:
"It's a tough one to trade... This is a hard talent to get your hands on. We have him, we've been developing him, and we've got very high hopes for him."
Jackson Holliday was selected by the Baltimore Orioles with the first pick of the 2022 MLB Draft and he has impressed in the minor leagues since then. He was called up to the majors by GM Mike Elias in April, but it proved to be untimely as the youngster struggled to cope.
He was subsequently sent back to the minors, where he continues to dominate over much older players and is currently the top prospect.
Baltimore Orioles boast a strong farm system that consists of several young talents. Among the top 20 prospects in the country today, the Orioles have four of them in the system, including Holliday at top spot. Hence, it is highly unlikely that they would consider trading him just because of his poor ten-game spell in the majors this year.
Jackson Holliday launches mammoth homer in the minors after short stint in the IL
After being demoted to the Triple-A Norfolk in the last week of April, Jackson Holliday missed two weeks of action in June due to right elbow inflammation. He returned to the Norfolk lineup last week and eliminated any doubt regarding his fitness with a powerful blast on Monday.
Holliday launched his eighth home run of the season as Norfolk beat Durham 3-2 on Monday, taking his OPS to .902 for the season. Despite his poor spell in the MLB with the Baltimore Orioles this season, he remains one of the best performers in the minors. Hence, it is no surprise that GM Mike Elias is unwilling to trade the youngster as he remains a big part of their plans.