Former top prospect Jackson Holliday is with the Baltimore Orioles for a series against the Tampa Bay Rays beginning on Monday, May 18, a positive news update as the infielder nears a return from a fractured hamate bone, per Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner.
Holliday underwent surgery to repair the bone in February. He opened the season on the injured list. The 22-year-old has suffered multiple setbacks on his rehab assignment, delaying his return to the big-league club.
The Orioles news comes with the club heading into an important three-game set against the division-leading Rays. Baltimore sits in fourth place in the AL East, 10 games behind Tampa Bay.
Baltimore Orioles News Update: Jackson Holliday Joins Team for Series Against Tampa Bay Rays
The Orioles selected Holliday with the first overall pick in the 2022 draft. The infielder dominated at every level of the minor leagues, earning a promotion to the majors as a 20-year-old. Holliday scuffled in his first taste of big-league action. He hit just .189 with a massive 33.2% strikeout rate in 60 games. Holliday did pop five home runs, including a grand slam.
Holliday entered the 2025 season as the everyday second baseman in Baltimore. He performed much better in his second attempt at the big leagues. The infielder slashed a respectable .242/.314/.375 across 649 plate appearances. He launched 17 home runs and swiped 17 bases as a regular at the top of the Orioles’ lineup.
The broken hamate bone was one of three similar injuries around the league heading into the season. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll went down with the same issue. While Lindor and Carroll made it back in time for Opening Day, Holliday has missed the first six weeks of the MLB season. The 22-year-old has had to pause his rehab assignment on multiple occasions due to the lingering effects of the surgery. He’s been miserable at the plate while attempting to get healthy, posting a 54 wRC+ in 86 plate appearances across three levels.
Holliday Could Play Third Base With the Orioles
The most notable development during Holliday’s rehab stint, aside from the setbacks, was his playing third base. He made one start in Double-A and two appearances in Triple-A at the position. Holliday has been used almost exclusively at second base as a big leaguer. He’s made 188 starts at the keystone with the Orioles. The infielder has also appeared in 11 games at shortstop with the big-league club.
A position switch makes sense for multiple reasons. The obvious one is the club losing third baseman Jordan Westburg to an elbow injury. Westburg has been out all season with the issue, which popped up in the spring. He’s headed for Tommy John surgery and won’t play at all in 2026. Coby Mayo has handled the majority of the reps at third base. The former prospect has stumbled to a .603 OPS across 40 games.
The other factor is Holliday’s defensive shortcomings at second base. He’s recorded -12 Defensive Runs Saved in 1662.1 MLB innings at the position. A move to third base could help him contribute a bit more with the glove.
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