Fastball

Jackson Holliday Gave MLB Network a Huge Ratings Boost

The ratings are in for the Major League debut of Jackson Holliday on MLB Network, and they're big. The debut of the young Orioles standout was the second-most watched regular game in the network's history.
Brady Farkas|
Mar 19, 2024; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (87)
Mar 19, 2024; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (87) | Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles' top prospect Jackson Holliday may not have delivered a hit on the field during his Major League debut, but he did deliver a hit in the ratings for MLB Network.

Holliday, the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball this season, made his debut on Wednesday against the Boston Red Sox and it became the second-most watched regular season game in MLB Network's history.

Per "Awful Announcing:"

Jackson Holliday’s MLB debut on Wednesday, a 7-5 Baltimore Orioles win over the Boston Red Sox, delivered a strong audience for MLB Network.

Without airing in the Baltimore or Boston markets, the game averaged 626,000 viewers. That’s good for the second-most-watched regular season game in the network’s 15-year history, only surpassed by Derek Jeter’s final home game with the New York Yankees in 2014.

People are certainly curious about the 20-year-old O's infielder, who is the son of former big leaguer Matt Holliday. He was the No. 1 pick in the MLB Draft (2022) out of the high school ranks and spent only one full season in Minor League Baseball.

Here's a portion of his MLB.com prospect profile:

It's an easy argument to make that Holliday is the best pure hitting prospect in the game. His incredibly advanced approach at the plate led to him being one of just eight Minor Leaguers who walked 100 or more times in 2023, resulting in a .442 on-base percentage. He combines that discipline with a short left-handed stroke that delivers consistent hard contact and elite-level exit velocities. Still only 20 for the 2024 season, Holliday continues to add strength, and there’s confidence he’ll drive the ball more -- and over the fence -- with greater consistency.

Follow Fastball on FanNation on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball on FanNation coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

Published | Modified
Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

Home/History