While it is only January, Spring Training begins next month. Those excited for baseball, as I am, can’t wait for camps to open and the games to begin. Certainly, one of the things we will be watching for is the next hot prospect to come along. The question is: who is that young player that will make rosters on Opening Day and make an immediate fantasy impact? No question, there are a few, but one stands out. This Jackson Holliday fantasy profile edition will demonstrate that, in fact, Holiday is that stand out.

Meet Jackson Holliday, Fantasy Baseball’s Top Prospect

First, let me point out that Jackson Holliday is the top prospect in all of baseball. However, even as that is so, it doesn’t mean that he is fantasy baseball’s top prospect in 2024. For that to be the case, that player has to be actually on the major league roster during the season and provide relevant fantasy stats.

Fortunately, even at 20 years old, Holliday is that player. The top player selected in the 2022 MLB draft, Holliday began last season in low A ball, but wound up in AAA before the year was over. After posting a .267 average at his first stop, Holliday hit .338, .314 and .396 moving up the ladder.

No question, his stats look like something out of a video game: .323-12-75 with a .442/.499 slash line. Further, Holliday had 24 stolen bases, 154 hits and 113 runs scored. However, his best stat, in my opinion, is the 101 walks he had against 118 strike outs. That shows a hitting maturity well beyond his years. There are several major leaguers who couldn’t walk 101 times over the course of two, maybe three, full seasons.

Holliday’s Opening Day Roster Opportunity

Of course, to make an impact in both actual and fantasy baseball, one must be on the field. Even though Holliday isn’t on the Orioles’ 40-man roster at this moment, he has every opportunity to be their starting shortstop from Opening Day onward. The main road block in his way for the job is Jorge Mateo. No question, Mateo has speed, as his 32 steals attest.

Unfortunately for Mateo, that is pretty much the end of his counting stats. in 116 games, Mateo hit only .217-7-34. He walked just 22 times, which led to a dismal .267 OBP. Lest anyone think that he can make improvements at the plate, he exactly matched that OBP in 2022. Further, Mateo’s OPS+ of 70 is nothing to write home about.

Thus, in the end, Holliday will be on the active roster right out of the shoot. If he isn’t, we won’t have to wait long at all for his promotion to Baltimore. Unless something significantly changes during the spring, Holliday is well worth taking a flyer on when draft day comes around.

The Final Word

Thank you for joining me for this Jackson Holliday fantasy profile edition! Do you agree with the selection of Holliday? Do you think it’s another Jackson, Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio? Could it be another player? Let’s talk about it!

The very first Sports Stove Fantasy Baseball Show of the season was this past Sunday. Check it out here. We plan on a show every Sunday night at 8 eastern. Don’t miss it!

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