Orioles stud prospect's first taste of majors doesn't last long

When the 2022 first-overall pick was called up to the majors on April 10, he became the second-youngest player in the game after Milwaukee Brewers rookie outfielder Jackson Chourio. According to MLB Pipeline, Holliday and Chourio opened the 2024 season as the Nos. 1 and 2 ranked prospects, respectively.

While the Milwaukee dual threat opened the season in the big leagues, the 20-year-old Holliday surprisingly began the campaign with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides.

The son of former All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday carried over his monster 2023 in the minors into this year, raking in Norfolk to the tune of 14 hits in 42 at-bats with 18 runs scored, five doubles, two home runs, nine RBI and a sensational 12:8 strikeout to walk ratio over his first 10 games.

Despite the strong spring training and even better start with the Tides, insider Ken Rosenthal said Friday afternoon that the demotion was "not a surprise" given Holliday's slow start in Baltimore. Rosenthal added that no player is "immune" to getting sent down, citing three-time AL MVP Mike Trout as an example from his demotion in 2011.

He went just 2-for-34 with five runs scored, one RBI, two walks and a whopping 18 strikeouts across his first 10 games with the Orioles.

The team also has one of the most loaded rosters in the game and is tied with the New York Yankees (17-9) atop the AL East at 16-8. The team was able to afford to send down Holliday for some fine-tuning.

Holliday and Orioles fans alike shouldn't be discouraged by Friday's news either. He's a former No. 1 pick and top prospect for a reason and at just 20 years old, he's got plenty of time to turn things around.

As fellow standout youngsters like Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals and Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs have recently learned, high expectations come with many ups and downs.

The Cardinals sent Walker down to Triple-A on Wednesday after the former top prospect had a brutal start this season. The 21st overall pick from 2020 made the team's Opening Day roster in 2023 but was optioned to Triple-A in late April. He returned to the majors in early June and finished the year with 16 home runs, 51 RBI and a .272/.342/.445 slash line, offering promise going into 2024.

Instead, he got off to an abysmal start this spring, going 9-for-58 (.155) with no home runs, four runs scored and four RBI, along with six walks and 18 strikeouts.

Crow-Armstrong was selected by the New York Mets two picks before Walker was taken in 2020, but he was moved to the Cubs for shortstop Javier Baez, pitcher Trevor Williams and cash at the 2021 trade deadline.

The son of actress Ashley Crow made headlines in his minor-league debut last April, blasting his first Double-A home run (a grand slam) on the 16th pitch of the at-bat.

The outfielder was called up to Chicago in September but went 0-for-14 to start his career before the 2023 season ended.

Crow-Armstrong started 2024 with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs following a rough spring training.

Crow-Armstrong was recalled after Cody Bellinger went on the injured list on Wednesday. The 22-year-old got his first start of the year on Thursday and recorded his first major league hit, a go-ahead two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Houston Astros.