The Orioles introduced in the present day that they’ve optioned infielder Jackson Holliday to Triple-A Norfolk. His roster spot will go to outfielder Ryan McKenna, whose contract has been chosen. To open a spot on the 40-man for McKenna, catcher David Bañuelos has been designated for task.
Holliday, 20, got here into this season because the consensus prime prospect in baseball. The primary total decide of the 2022 draft, he mashed his manner via 4 ranges of the minor leagues final 12 months. He went from Single-A to Excessive-A to Double-A and Triple-A, hitting .323/.442/.499 alongside the best way.
Coming into 2024, there gave the impression to be a respectable likelihood of Holliday cracking the Opening Day roster, regardless of his younger age. Again in December, basic supervisor Mike Elias stated as a lot, telling reporters that it was a “very sturdy risk.”
Throughout Spring Coaching, Holliday gave the impression to be ticking all of the bins when he hit .311/.354/.600 in official Grapefruit League motion. But regardless of that vast stat line, the membership determined to ship him again to Triple-A to start out the 12 months. Elias acknowledged that Holliday wanted a bit extra work towards left-handed pitching and a bit extra expertise at second base, having solely not too long ago moved there from shortstop.
Some observers puzzled if this was easy service time manipulation, however the O’s made one other shocking transfer once they referred to as Holliday up on April 9, lower than two weeks into the season. He had solely performed 10 Triple-A video games to start out the 12 months, hitting an enormous .333/.482/.595 in that point, and he was nonetheless referred to as up early sufficient that he may earn a full 12 months of service time by staying up for the rest of the 2024 season.
Sadly, his main league profession has gotten out to an extremely gradual begin. By way of 10 video games and 36 plate appearances, he has struck out 18 instances, a large 50% clip. He solely has two hits, each singles, and two walks. That results in a batting line of .059/.111/.059.
That’s a tiny pattern dimension however the O’s have evidently determined that the most effective transfer is to ship Holliday all the way down to Norfolk and get again right into a groove. It wouldn’t be a shock if that doesn’t take very lengthy. He’s nonetheless very younger and clearly extremely proficient, whereas his struggles include a small sliver of time within the grand scheme of issues. Loads of star baseball gamers have struggled initially and nonetheless gone on to nice success. To make use of simply a few examples, Chandler Rome of The Athletic identified this afternoon that Alex Bregman had two hits in his first 38 at-bats whereas Kyle Tucker had simply 9 in his first 64.
Whereas Holliday may realistically be again in brief order and slugging within the huge leagues, he’ll first must catch his breath in Norfolk and string some good plate appearances collectively, which is probably going going to push again his path to free company and maybe to arbitration.
A significant league season is 187 days lengthy however a participant wants solely 172 to succeed in a 12 months of service time, which means a participant could be despatched to the minors for 15 days and nonetheless get a full 12 months. Holliday missed the primary 12 days of this season and was nonetheless in place to get to the one-year mark right here in 2024 however he’ll now be a tempo behind that. A place participant optioned to the minors has to remain down for ten days earlier than being recalled. An exception is made if another person is happening the injured record, however the likeliest situation is that Holliday might be in Norfolk for a minimum of just a few weeks.
He may additionally earn a full 12 months of service time within the less-traditional manner. The newest collective bargaining settlement added measures to fight service time, one in all which was the flexibility for a prime prospect to earn a full 12 months of service even when not referred to as up early sufficient in the event that they end within the prime two in Rookie of the 12 months voting of their league. Although for that situation to play out now, Holliday must rapidly produce higher outcomes to be able to safe a quick recall after which thrive within the majors for a number of months. With rookies like Colton Cowser, Wilyer Abreu, Mason Miller and Evan Carter already racking up first rate numbers, Holliday can be challenged to finish up moving into the highest two.
For the membership, they may also be taking their prospect promotion incentive off the desk for now. One other new measure of the CBA is that groups can earn an additional draft decide in the event that they promote prime prospects early sufficient to get a full service 12 months, and that participant goes on to earn a Rookie of the 12 months award or a prime three end in MVP or Cy Younger voting of their pre-arbitration years. That was on the desk for Holliday together with his promotion a few weeks in the past however received’t be an element now. That might nonetheless come into play subsequent 12 months if Holliday retains his rookie standing via the tip of 2024.
As for arbitration, a participant wants three years of service to routinely qualify. Every year, a subset of participant get in early by what is named “Tremendous Two” standing. That line strikes from 12 months to 12 months because it goes to the 22% of gamers with probably the most service between two and three years. Holliday may qualify for Tremendous Two standing after the 2026 season, relying on how a lot time he spends within the majors between every now and then, in addition to the place the cutoff is after that 12 months.
Along with Holliday’s struggles, the O’s are in a position to make this transfer as a result of so many different gamers are performing so properly. Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg have each been glorious and appear prone to take the majority of the center infield taking part in time. Westburg had been spending extra time at third however may now transfer to the keystone frequently with Holliday’s demotion, with Ramón Urías getting extra time on the sizzling nook. Urías isn’t hitting properly this 12 months however has strong profession numbers on the plate and he’s thought-about a wonderful defender at a number of positions. Jorge Mateo is on the market as a depth infielder off the bench.
McKenna, 27, will get again on the Baltimore roster only a few weeks after being eliminated. He spent the previous three years serving as a glove-first bench outfielder for the membership. From 2021 via 2023, he hit simply .221/.299/.318 however racked up eight Defensive Runs Saved and 7 Outs Above Common on the grass. He additionally stole eight bases in 9 tries.
He exhausted his possibility years in that point and was nudged off the membership’s Opening Day roster this 12 months, however was handed via waivers and caught within the group. It was reported earlier this week that McKenna was taking some reps at second base to broaden his versatility, however he didn’t get an opportunity to take the infield throughout precise recreation motion for the Tides earlier than getting added again to the large league roster.
For now, it looks as if he’ll return to his position as a depth outfielder, behind the regulars Anthony Santander, Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad. As soon as Austin Hays is able to return from the injured record, McKenna could also be in jeopardy of shedding his roster spot once more, although Kjerstad getting optioned again to the minors is one other risk.
Bañuelos, 27, has been bouncing on and off the roster previously week-plus, principally out of comfort. He has been touring with the staff on the taxi squad as an emergency third catcher behind Adley Rutschman and James McCann. Twice previously ten days, he was added to the roster when another person was damage, seemingly as a result of he was there and able to swimsuit up. In each instances, he was designated for task shortly thereafter.
The primary DFA led to Bañuelos passing via waivers unclaimed and sticking with the O’s. If he had been to move via unclaimed once more, he would have the suitable to elect free company as a participant with a earlier profession outright. He has one main league plate look, a flyout, and hit .270/.369/.526 in Double-A for the Twins final 12 months.
