May 18, 2024
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matt Holliday heard from agent Scott Boras that his son was about to be picked first in baseball's amateur draft, and the 2007 batting champion didn't let on.
“That was kind of cool," Jackson Holliday said later. “He’s like, 'All right, you’re just going to find out.' That was really, really neat, and something I’ll probably never forget.”
Jackson watched on television about 30 seconds later Sunday when baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced that Baltimore chose the 18-year-old shortstop first overall.
The only other son of a major leaguer to be a top pick was Ken Griffey Jr. in 1987.
Druw Jones, the son of All-Star Andruw Jones, had been projected first, but the 18-year-old outfielder went to Arizona with the second selection.
“It’s like a video game, honestly,” Holliday said. "Like every video game you play, you’re the first pick."
Holliday and Jones, both represented by Boras, have agreements for signing bonuses in excess of $8 million, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deals have not been announced.
Boras was on the phone with Matt Holliday while a member of his staff spoke to Druw Jones.
“A tough decision,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said. “I would liken it to deciding what to order at a five-star restaurant.”
Holliday, a left-handed hitter from Stillwater High in Oklahoma, is 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds — quite a bit smaller than his 6-foot-4, 240-pound father. He hit .685 and with 89 hits in 41 games and broke a national record for hits in a high school season that had been held by J.T. Realmuto.
His dad was a seven-time All-Star in a big league career from 2004-18, including 2009-16 with the Cardinals. Holliday earned the 2007 NL batting title.
“I remember being in the clubhouse ever since he got to St Louis,” Jackson said. “So I feel like it’s definitely an advantage and I’ve gotten to see what it takes to get to the major leagues and how players, even when they’re at the top of their game, how hard they still work to maintain it."
Jackson will head to the minors instead of attending Oklahoma State, where the baseball team is coached by his uncle Josh, Matt's older brother.
“I’m about as prepared as you can be to take on this lifestyle,” Jackson said.
Jones is a 6-foot-3 18-year-old from Wesleyan High in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. He hit .570 with 13 homers, 39 RBIs, 72 runs, 33 walks, and 32 stolen bases this year. He also went 10-1 as a pitcher, though he is projected as an outfielder.
His father was a five-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner.
“We're probably almost exactly the same,” Druw said. “I try and make it my own game and be able to pursue and keep my career going and not really worry about what he did back in past but be able to have my own name and play my own way."
With his father away from home playing ball during much of his youth, Druw learned to hit from his mom's father, J.D. Derick. Ahead of the draft, Druw was met with chants of “Over-rated!” from about 75 fans when Wesleyan played at Decatur High on May 3. In his third at-bat, Druw homered off Brady Jones, who committed to attend Georgia State.
“It was one of those moments that you’ll remember forever,” Druw said. “I enjoyed that moment, but I'll probably never have that moment again.”
Baltimore had five of the top 81 picks as the big league team has rebounded after five straight losing seasons. The Orioles recovered from an 8-16 start to enter the All-Star break at 46-46, just 3 1/2 games back of a wild-card berth.
“They’re heading in the right direction and I’m excited to be a part of it,” Holliday said.
Pittsburgh used the fourth pick on second baseman Termarr Johnson of Mays High in Georgia, a product of baseball's Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities program. The top pick present for the broadcast, Johnson said the Pirates were getting “the best player in the draft.”
