Orioles Young Superstar Seemingly Makes First Opening Day Roster

The Baltimore Orioles have yet to make it official, but infielder Jackson Holliday seems to believe that he has made the team's Opening Day roster for the first time in his young career.

Speaking with the team's MLB.com beat reporter Jake Rill, Holliday shared the message that manager Brandon Hyde had for him as the team prepares to leave Florida at the close of spring training.

"[Hyde] came up to me and basically was telling me he didn't really know if I was going to be playing shortstop or second base, so I don't really know if that counts," Holliday told Rill. "But I know I'm going on the flight, so I guess we'll find out."

The flight is back home where the Orioles will play an exhibition game with the Washington Nationals on Monday at Nationals Park.

Holliday, the first overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft and the son of longtime MLB star Matt Holliday, struggled in his first stint in MLB in 2024 to the tune of a .189/.255/.311 triple slash line, but he looked like an entirely different hitter this spring.

In 46 at-bats, he's been good for a .304/.373/.435, finding his swing and building confidence as he looks to contribute to a loaded Orioles lineup.

The 21-year-old native of Austin, Texas, got to be around his fair share of his father's Opening Day appearances, and the chance to play in the first of his own is an exciting one.

"It'd be pretty surreal," Holliday told Rill of the possibility. "Going to Cardinals Opening Days for so long, they've got all the horses out there and the guys in the cars. I'm excited for, hopefully, a Baltimore Opening Day."