Ethan Holliday’s Insane Moment Playing with Team USA Against Rockies

The Colorado Rockies hope that Ethan Holliday will help them in the Major Leagues one day. But earlier this season he rubbed elbows with greats.

Stillwater's Ethan Holliday swings through a pitch. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ethan Holliday won’t be with the Colorado Rockies in 2026, unless he progresses fast through the minor league system. But he’s already had some Major League moments.

He’s played in a Cactus League game with the Rockies, even though he’s not on the spring training roster. Teams like the Rockies use those games to sneak in a young prospect to get them some at-bats in a non-backfield setting.

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Holliday has also put on a Team USA jersey as part of the World Baseball Classic. He’s not playing in it, but when the Rockies hosted the team for an exhibition game earlier this month, the former first-round pick was part of the festivities.

Ethan Holliday’s Team USA Moment

"It was insane… You look around and you got Hall of Famers all around you."

Ethan Holliday on subbing in for Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop for @USABaseball in their exhibition with the @Rockies. #Rockies | @BKDenverSports

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Team USA played an exhibition game with the Rockies while in Arizona. Holliday didn’t play for the Rockies. But he was one of the fill-in players for Team USA. He got to wear the uniform and rub elbows with some of the best players in baseball. He talked about the experience with Guerilla Sports recently.

“It was insane,” he said. “I walked out there and Clayton Kershaw was on the mound. You look around and there are [future] Hall of Famers all around you. It’s an emotion you really aren’t ready for. But you get out there and it was so much fun. I really enjoyed it.”

Holliday knew some of the players. His father, Matt played in the Majors from 2004-18. One player stood out.

“Bryce Harper was pretty cool to meet,” Holliday said. “I heard a lot of things about him, and I've always looked up to him. I've always watched him since I was young. So, that was special to interact with him in the dugout setting. All those guys treated us like part of the team, so it really meant a lot.”

The No. 4 overall pick last season is the son of former Rockies star Matt Holliday. Expectations are massive for him after he signed a $9 million bonus. In his pro debut at Fresno, Holliday slashed .239/.357/.380 with two home runs and six RBI. He is the son of Rockies legend Matt Holliday, who played six of his 15 seasons with the Rockies from 2004-08 and his final season in 2018.

The younger Holliday is on the roster for the Spring Breakout Game. Colorado Rockies prospects will face Arizona Diamondbacks prospects on March 21 at their shared facility at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. mountain.

Starting next year, the Spring Breakout is moving to a single-elimination tournament that will crown a Grapefruit League and a Cactus League champion. Those tournaments are expected to take place for four days during spring training, with the 2027 event set for March 19-22.