'Call your dad': Watch Holliday learn he was called up to Majors

'Call your dad': Watch Holliday learn he was called up to Majors

April 10th, 2024

Orioles Triple-A manager Buck Britton called into his office and gave him some simple instructions: "Call your dad."

Why? Because Jackson is now following in Matt Holliday's footsteps -- to the big leagues.

Holliday, the No. 1 prospect in baseball, officially earned his first Major League callup to the Orioles on Wednesday. And Britton delivered the news with a special message for the 20-year-old.

"I want you to call your dad, I want you to talk to him, and I want you to thank him for all the times that he's allowed you to come into the clubhouse, be on his pass list, let you hit with the big boys," Britton told Holliday. "That's pretty special, and it plays into a lot of what you're about.

"The second thing I want you to tell him is that now it's time for him to ask permission to be on Jackson Holliday's pass list. Because you're going to the big leagues."

Holliday's reaction: "Awesome."

Jackson will wear No. 7 with the O's, the same number his dad wore from 2010-16 with the Cardinals and in his final MLB season in 2018 with the Rockies. Matt was a seven-time All-Star and won a World Series championship in 2011 with St. Louis.

Britton just wished Matt could've been there to get the news from Jackson face to face.

"In a perfect world his dad would’ve been at the game and I could’ve brought him in," Britton said. "It’s a very special moment. His dad’s had that moment before, and now Jackson is getting a taste of it."

Holliday isn't the first top prospect Britton has sent on his way from Norfolk to the Majors. He got to give the same news to Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson. But Britton put a lot of effort into orchestrating Holliday's big moment.

"I was nervous as heck, I ain’t going to lie," Britton said. "Because you only get one chance to tell Jackson Holliday."