In 2024, the Baltimore Orioles quickly called up top prospect Jackson Holliday and eventually had him on the big league team for 60 games.
Unfortunately, despite Holliday flying through the minor league ranks, the Orioles young sensation struggled. Holliday hit just .189 with five home runs and 23 RBI. He struck out 69 times in 190 at-bats, none of which were encouraging for the Orioles regarding their 21-year-old star.
Still, adjusting from the minors to the major league level is not easy. With 2025 Opening Day drawing nearer, it will be interesting to see if Holliday can turn things around.
However, the way things went with Holiday has the Orioles wondering about another young prospect.
Orioles Sent Coby Mayo to Triple-A
Coby Mayo, a fourth-round pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, was recently named the No. 14 prospect on MLB Pipeline’s preseason list.
With Mayo rising quickly, expectations were that he could make the Opening Day roster. However, the Orioles decided to send him to Triple-A Norfolk to start the year.
And, it was not pleasing to Mayo, per Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner.
“It definitely is difficult,” Mayo said. “It obviously sucks because you feel like you’ve proven everything you’ve needed to. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it’s quite enough…It’s kind of a lose-lose going to Norfolk.”
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But, after the Jackson Holliady experiment failed, perhaps the Orioles are trying to avoid a similar mistake with Mayo.
In Mayo’s first nine Grapefruit League games this spring, he went just 1-for-23 at the plate before turning things around a bit.
Coby Mayo was 1-for-23 over his 1st 9 Grapefruit League games.
The #Orioles' No. 2 prospect (@MLBPipeline's No. 14 overall) is now 4-for-9 over his past 5 games after this leadoff double in the 2nd.
(Mayo then scored on an RBI double by Nick Gordon.) pic.twitter.com/QYo64NdgFL
— Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) March 13, 2025
On the other hand, Mayo did get some played time with the Orioles briefly in 2024. The 23-year-old played in 17 games but had just four hits in 41 at-bats, none of which were extra-base hits.
He also struck out 22 times in those at-bats.
While it’s a small sample, what the Orioles saw from Holliday in 2024 could have them wanting to give Mayo more time to develop rather than rush him to the big leagues. Holliday came to the big leagues and just did not have success, and it is possible they don’t want to risk it again.
In Triple-A, Mayo has 34 homers in 151 games across 2023 and 2024, so he has definitely flashed his talent and potential.
Unfortunately, Mayo is not pleased with the move, and it will be interesting to see how long he stays in the minor leagues before the Orioles decide to bring him to the big league club.