Rockies Top Prospect Ethan Holliday Is Running Out of Things to Prove at Low-A

If you have been a Colorado Rockies fan for very long, you are very familiar with the last name Holliday. In fact, that last name already draws plenty of attention and has made Ethan Holliday one to watch. No problem, watch all you want because he is impressive.

Holliday’s performance isn’t just conversation; this is an absolute statement.

Through 112 at-bats in Low-A Fresno, Holliday is slashing .268/.404/.580 with a .984 OPS, nine home runs, and 30 RBI. Now, remember, he is just 19 years old. This is his first full season as a professional. These are not just encouraging numbers, these are impressive.

Holliday was the fourth overall pick in the 2025 Draft, where the Colorado Rockies handed him a record $9 million signing bonus. After seeing the results he is producing at Low-A, the Rockies are having to face a pressing question: Is it time to promote Holliday to High-A Spokane?

The Story Behind the Numbers

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You can look at the season line and see the picture, but the game logs tells a much richer story for the youngster. In April, he had a slow start. He was hitting .230 and went 0-for-12 in his first three games. This type of performance is expected from a player making his transition from high school ball to minor league.

Regardless of his batting average, one thing has remained true, his patience and discipline. In April even when things were slow, he was still producing a .395 OBP.

Then May arrived, and so did Holliday. He has a slash line of .314/.417/.765 in May with six home runs and 15 RBI in just 51 at-bats. On May 7 against San Jose, he brought a full game, hitting a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game.

Fast forward to May 16 and the up-and-coming superstar went 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBI.

Looking at his last four games, he is now 6-for-15 with three home runs, six RBI, and three walks. It almost makes you feel sorry for the Low-A pitchers he faces because he is just a hitting machine.

The Case For Spokane

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This young man is elite at every level based on these numbers, but he still has to prove it. Right now, his .404 OBP is impressive. Just about a year ago, this guy was playing high school baseball.

Now he has amassed nine home runs in 112 at-bats, six in the month of May alone. The .984 OPS is a massive growth from his .737 OPS in his 2025 pro debut.

He has overtaken Low-A and now it is time to see what the next challenge has to offer.

The Case Against

If any organization in MLB should have learned its lesson about pushing prospects too fast, it is the Rockies. Holliday cannot legally order a drink yet, and he still has a lot to learn about taking on MLB pitching.

Scouts noted on his reports that he has a hard time pulling fastballs and don’t think for a second that High-A pitching won’t take full advantage of a weakness.

His strikeout rate is concerning as well. In his 112 at-bats he has struck out 40 times. That is a 35.7% rate and that will be a weakness that will be exploited the farther he advances.

The Verdict

The projections coming into the season showed Holliday ending up at High-A toward the end of the year. Well, that projection may need to be adjusted a little earlier in the year. Six home runs in May and a season slugging percentage of .580 are clear indicators that Holliday is plenty comfortable at Low-A. He is running out of things to prove when he steps up to the plate.

Spokane is anxiously awaiting his arrival.

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