Orioles' Jackson Holliday named Baseball America's "Minor League Player of the Year"
BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles' No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday was named Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year, it was announced Monday.
A handful of organizations hand out a minor league Player of the Year award, but Baseball America's is considered the most prestigious by many.
An Orioles player has taken the award for the second year in a row, with shortstop Gunnar Henderson taking the accolade last year. Holliday is the third Oriole overall to win the award with catcher Matt Wieters being the first in 2008.
Holliday, the son of former big league outfielder Matt Holliday, played for Delmarva and Aberdeen at Class A this year, then hit .338 with 15 extra-base hits in 36 games for Double-A Bowie.
The 19-year-old shortstop was promoted to Triple-A Norfolk earlier this month in another step in his remarkable rise through the minors in his first full pro season.
Holliday's part of a loaded Orioles farm system that already produced Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson — two key players for the Baltimore team that has the best record in the American League.
He currently ranks No. 1 on Baseball America Top 100 Prospects rankings.