The Baltimore Orioles selected Oklahoma high school infielder Jackson Holliday with the No. 1 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, marking the first time the club has taken a high schooler with a first-round pick under GM Mike Elias.
The Orioles picked Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman, Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad and Sam Houston State outfielder Colton Cowser in the first round in 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively. Rutschman is in the big leagues. Kjerstad missed time due to myocarditis but is now with High-A Aberdeen. Cowser is with Double-A Bowie.
This time, the Orioles went with a gifted high school hitter in Holliday, who projects as a shortstop in pro ball. Holliday, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound left-handed batter, hit .685/.749/1.392 with 17 home runs for Stillwater High School in Oklahoma. Holliday told Glenn Clark Radio June 21 that it’d be an honor to go No. 1 overall.
“[Being drafted No. 1 overall] would mean a lot. It’s a great accomplishment,” Holliday said. “No matter what team it is, I’m [going to] be grateful, but to be the first pick would be very special.”
Holliday is the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday, who helped Jackson develop on and off the field. Matt finished his big league career with 316 home runs across 15 years.
“We lived with my dad wherever he went, [and] most of the season was in the summer, so I got to go to the field every day with him and got to see all the players, their work ethic and just how they got to the point where they were at, and it’s been very influential for me,” Holliday said.
Before the draft, Elias said the club was considering five players for the No. 1 pick. High schoolers Elijah Green, Termarr Johnson and Druw Jones and Cal Poly infielder Brooks Lee may have been in the conversation as well.
The Orioles have a $16.9 million bonus pool for picks in the top 10 rounds (as well as anyone taken outside of the top 10 rounds who signs for more than $125,000). The slot value for the No. 1 pick is about $8.8 million. Holliday is committed to Oklahoma State, where his uncle, Josh, is the head coach.
The Orioles will round out their Day 1 haul later in the night at Nos. 33, 42 and 67.
Photo Credit: Josh Dean Photography