After a tad more seasoning at Triple-A, the Baltimore Orioles finally called up top prospect Jackson Holliday for his MLB debut. Like all Orioles fans, legend Cal Ripken Jr. can't wait to see Holliday at the major league level.
When Holliday makes his debut, he'll be wearing No. 7. Once Cal Ripken heard the news, he was ecstatic to see his dad immortalized once more on a player such as Holiday's jersey.
“Our family is thrilled that (Jackson Holliday) will be wearing dad's No. 7,” Ripken tweeted. “Excited to watch him play!”
He'll be the first Oriole to don the number since Cal Ripken Sr. Before Holliday took the the field, Bill Ripken explained how the number decision came to be and why it was the right time, and right player to be adorned again, via MLB Network.
“Very respectfully, I know the Holliday family has made reference to the No. 7. My brother touched base with me and said, ‘what do you think?' I said you know what, if anybody is going to do it, I think that family is going to honor that Sr. was a part of that. It gives us another opportunity to throw Sr. out there, I'm all on board with it.”
Cal Ripken Sr. spent 36 years with the Orioles, going from player to manager. He won the World Series in 1983 and was ultimately elected into the Orioles Hall of Fame. A legend in Baltimore, Holliday's number decision ensures that Ripken Sr.'s legacy lives on.
Holliday ready to take Orioles, MLB by storm
Only 20-years old, Holliday has torn through Baltimore's farm system. Drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, the shortstop was already in Triple-A by 2023. He entered the 2024 season as the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball, via MLB Pipeline.
While the Orioles chose to have Holliday start the season in the minor leagues, he quickly showed that he was ready for a MLB call up. Over 10 Triple-A games, Holliday hit .333 with two home runs, nine RBI and a stolen bases. Throughout his entire minor league career, Holliday hit .321 with 15 home runs, 93 RBI and 29 stolen bases.
Baltimore's youth resurgence led them to 100+ wins and the AL East title in 2023. Players like Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman will be the faces of the Orioles for the foreseeable future. Now, Jackson Holliday joins the fold.
His rapid ascent to the major leagues has caught the attention of baseball fans everywhere. His MLB debut will be one of the most watched during the 2024 season. Amongst the people watching will be the Ripken family. At that debut, and throughout the season, whenever Holliday steps to the plate, they'll see Cal Ripken Sr.'s number on his back.
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