Baltimore Orioles Star Reveals Major Adjustment After Disappointing Season

Will a key adjustment help the Baltimore Orioles' former No. 1 prospect unlock his massive potential at the plate?

Aug 31, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Baltimore Orioles second base Jackson Holliday (7) at bat in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

After a middling offseason, the Baltimore Orioles appear to be counting on their young stars to carry them in 2025.

One of the team's biggest X factors this season is 21-year-old second baseman Jackson Holliday. The first overall pick of the 2022 draft has superstar potential, but nobody knows what to expect from him after a disappointing 2024.

Holliday struggled as a rookie last year, batting just .189/.255/.311 with nearly twice as many strikeouts (69) as hits (36). He's expected to be better this year now that he has some Major League experience under his belt, but how much better?

The answer to that question may depend on the success of his offseason adjustments to his swing, which he revealed during a recent interview at spring training.

Jackson Holliday has been continuing to work on a toe tap in his swing.

The infielder on offseason goals, the addition of veterans in the clubhouse and more. pic.twitter.com/1yUduNeqMW

— Orioles on MASN (@masnOrioles) February 20, 2025

According to Holliday, he's working on incorporating a toe tap into his swing to help with his timing at the plate. He initially debuted the toe tap late last season, but continued working on it over the winter to get more comfortable and confident with it.

"It's something that's new and I'm trying to take into a game," Holliday said. "It's been good in the live at-bats so far, and I'm just looking forward to continuing to build off that."

Holliday eventually improved after a slow start last year, so the hope is that he can continue to progress and develop as a hitter this season, taking some of the pressure off Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman in the process.

His new toe tap could help with that, as it may help slow things down for him in the batter's box, improve his timing and enable him to be more consistent.

Holliday will get plenty of chances to test out his new toe tap during spring training. If he has success with it, he can carry it into the regular season as well.

Baltimore opted to bolster itself offensively in the outfield and behind the plate this offseason. The Orioles signed outfielder Tyler O'Neill to a three-year contract as a swap for Anthony Santander, who left the team in free agency.

Meanwhile, Baltimore signed catcher Gary Sanchez to a one-year deal, which will allow him to back up starter Adley Rutschman and work as a designated hitter on days he's not behind the plate

The Orioles start their spring training season this weekend, which gives Holliday a chance to test out his new toe tap.