Jackson Holliday is officially a professional baseball player.
The Baltimore Orioles on Sunday selected Holliday with the No. 1 pick in the MLB Draft. On Thursday, we learned that he and the Baltimore Orioles agreed to a deal. Holliday is signing for $8.19 million, which is below the $8.84 million MLB has slotted for that spot.
Though Holliday signed for below his slot value, his bonus is a record for a high school player since signing bonuses were capped.
There are three previous players who topped $8 million signing bonuses since the cap was introduced in 2011: Spencer Torkelson in 2020, Adley Rutschman in 2019, and Gerrit Cole in 2011. All three players went to college, whereas Holliday is a high school player.
In addition to Holliday, No. 2 pick Druw Jones also agreed to a deal. Jones is receiving $8.185 million from Arizona.
Both Holliday (Matt Holliday) and Jones (Andruw Jones) are high schoolers and the sons of former MLB All-Stars.
Holliday posted monster numbers in high school. He batted .685 with 28 doubles, 5 triples and 17 home runs in 40 games this spring for Stillwater High School in Oklahoma. The 6-foot-1 shortstop prospect is just 18 years old.
