Jackson Holliday’s 2026 season ended the same way it started: with more questions about health than numbers on a stat sheet.
And yet, buried inside the stops and starts, the Orioles still saw enough to keep believing in the 2022 No. 1 overall pick.
Holliday was slowed before he even had a chance to get rolling. A right hamate surgery on Feb. 12 pushed his debut back until May 19, and then left wrist inflammation followed him through much of September before a procedure on Sept. 29 to repair a partial TFCC tear. That surgery is not expected to keep him from being ready for ’27.
For Holliday, the bigger task now is turning the useful parts of this year into a better one next season.
“I thought this year was good in some ways. I was kind of getting a little more comfortable vs. lefties, and one month was really awesome and I was trying to build off that,” Holliday said.
“It’s a tough game. Trying to just have a little bit of grace for myself as far as what kind of I tried to play through and grind through.”
That mindset fits where he is in his career. Holliday arrived with enormous attention after starring at Stillwater (Okla.) High School, carrying the weight that comes with being the son of seven-time All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday and the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball when he debuted at Fenway Park on April 10, 2024.
The expectations were never ordinary, and neither has been the adjustment. Holliday has flashed the upside that made him such a big name, but he still hasn’t put together the full season that matches the hype.
There were real steps forward in 2026, though. He became more platoon-neutral, posting a .235 average and .632 OPS against left-handed pitchers, numbers that lined up closely with what he did against right-handers: .226 and .643.
His July stood out, too. Over 23 games and 74 plate appearances, Holliday hit .368 with three doubles, six RBIs, 16 walks and a .921 OPS. For a young hitter still trying to find his footing, that month looked like a glimpse of what the Orioles have been waiting for.
The work at second base also continued. Since moving there from shortstop in Spring Training in 2024, Holliday has gone through the usual bumps, but Baltimore remains confident he can stick at the position long term.
“Enormous talent, great head on his shoulders,” president of baseball operations Mike Elias said. “You look at where he is and the age, and then the other top [Draft] picks around him that year, he's way ahead of the curve, and we continue to believe in him and build around him. ... I think he's so early in his career that we'll see, but we absolutely believe in his ability at second base and him as a second baseman will be a big part of our planning this winter.”
Holliday’s offseason plan is simple: get healthy, get back to work and carry the lessons forward. One thing he thinks helped this year was being around Pete Alonso, the new teammate he described as one of the best players in the sport.
“It’s been awesome to be able to learn from Pete and watch him do his thing,” Holliday said. “I’m super glad to have a guy like that in our clubhouse and leading the charge on the offense, and just to be able to sit and watch the year that he’s had, I think, is really cool for me and a lot of the guys in here.
“He lives pretty close to me, so being able to hopefully pick his brain quite a bit this offseason and kind of watch things that he does that separates him from everyone else, I’m excited for that. Just trying to build off of this kind of crazy year.”
In Other News...
Orioles Suddenly Have A Tough Call On A Pitching Prospect
After missing time to a torn UCL and Tommy John surgery, some encouraging news has started to pile up around Orioles pitching prospect Kyle Bragg in the Arizona Fall League. The 2023 eighth-round pick has returned to game action and, in his brief Fall League work, has been sharp enough to remind the organization why he was worth developing in the first place, showing both strike-throwing ability and the kind of velocity that stands out this time of year.
Now the Orioles have to weigh the bigger-picture roster question that comes with a healthy Bragg. Because he is Rule 5 eligible, Baltimore has to decide whether to protect him with a 40-man roster spot, and those choices can get tricky fast when a pitcher is coming off surgery but also performing like someone other clubs might be tempted to grab. For a farm system that is always trying to balance depth against upside, Braggs progress has made this one worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Have A Christian Encarnacion-Strand Question Fans Should Watch
Christian Encarnacion-Strand gave the Orioles a useful glimpse of what he can still be after arriving in Baltimore, flashing the kind of offensive production that made him such an intriguing young hitter when he first reached the majors with Cincinnati in 2023. After injuries slowed him down in 2024 and 2025, the change of scenery helped him settle in with Baltimore, where his bat played especially well against left-handed pitching and added another layer to an already deep lineup.
The challenge now is less about whether Encarnacion-Strand can hit and more about where he fits. Baltimores infield is crowded, and that makes his role for the 2027 season far from settled, even after the strong showing he delivered once he got into games for the Orioles. For a club trying to balance present production with long-term roster fit, he has become one of those players whose value is obvious, but whose usage still needs sorting out. [Read more 🡒]
Former Orioles Lefty Finds A New Chance After Brutal Setback
Nick Raquet has landed a new opportunity with the Tigers, who signed the left-hander to a two-year minor league contract as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. For a pitcher looking for stability during a long rehab, the deal gives him that breathing room, with Detroit planning to keep him in the fold until he is ready to pitch again.
For Orioles fans, the name still carries some familiarity, since Raquet was let go in early September before this move to Detroit. The recovery timeline is a long one, and the Tigers are essentially betting on his health for 2028, but the contract at least gives him a clear path and a place to aim while he grinds through the comeback. [Read more 🡒]