Multiple MLB Stars Come to Defense of Ethan Holliday After Video Bashes Him

Multiple MLB stars defend top Colorado Rockies prospect Ethan Holliday after video bashes his athletic ability

Stillwater's Ethan Holliday swings during the high school baseball game between Fort Cobb-Broxton and Stillwater at Edmond Santa Fe High School in Edmond, Okla., Friday, April, 18, 2025. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies are a club that constantly fights an uphill battle. Between a home ballpark that hurts pitchers, to a dominant division, the hand their working with doesn't always seem too optimistic.

Last season though, the Rockies were the beneficiaries of the fourth overall pick in the MLB Draft, taking one of top prep bats of the draft, Ethan Holliday. A second generation draft pick, and younger brother of Jackson Holliday, expectations are sky high for the 19-year old infielder.

With those expectations will always come critiques, including an instragram reel posted by Baseball America doubting the athleticism of the Rockies draft pick. MLB Stars like Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado took exception to the video, coming to his defense in the comment.

Let the Kids Play

Ethan Holliday is drafted by the Colorado Rockies with the fourth pick during the first round of the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The youngest of the Holliday's sons, and the recent Rockies pick, was always given high expectations, including by his own brother who said he was more physical and powerful than he was. Even despite a less-than-expected showing in the summer circuit, he was still widely viewed as potentially the number one overall pick in a wide-open class.

"Ethan Holliday's draft stock was not as high as maybe it was built, maybe even internally," Baseball America said. "There were major question marks around the hit tool dating back to when he was a high school junior. There was always swing and miss here, he's not twitchy or athletic. You know, he's a below average athlete."

With a 6-foot-4 frame, and more power than speed compared to his older brother, he doesn't project as a long term shortstop and could potentially move to the corner infield. Still though, he has projectable power, and average speed according to his MLB Draft card, making him more than capable of taking the next step as he matures.

"It was a 39.4 percent in-zone whiff rate, it was catastophically bad," Baseball America said of Holliday's hit tool. "Almost to the point that I think they [Rockies] did Holliday a disservice by him even playing in games after the draft."

Multiple MLB stars, and players in general, did not take a liking to the video, with many going to the comment section of the video to voice their displeasure.

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"Kids 19 man … smh" from Arenado, former face of the franchise for the Rockies

"🤦‍♂️ He will be just fine!" from gold glove winning third baseman Alex Bregman

"Bro…he was in high school less than a year ago…relax" from former top prospect Jo Adell, who knows a thing or two about being unfairly ridiculed early in their career.

MLB drafts aren't like the other league's, where a 'sure-thing' is a lot tougher to project than other leagues, but to count out a 19-year old who comes from a family of great MLB players, seems a tad too early in his career.