Colorado Rockies Keep it in the Family, Select Ethan Holliday in 2025 MLB Draft

Ethan Holliday is set to follow in the footsteps up his father, former All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday, after falling to the No. 4 overall pick and getting scooped up by the Colorado Rockies.

Ethan Holliday during the high school baseball game between Dale and Stillwater at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies picked Matt Holliday in the seventh round of the 1998 MLB Draft, taking a flier on an outfielder who turned out to be a seven-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger and one-time World Series champion.

A little over 27 years later, the organization had to spend a little more draft capital in order to reel in his son.

The Rockies selected shortstop Ethan Holliday with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday, continuing the family's legacy in Colorado. The 18-year-old, who attended Stillwater High School (Okla.) like his father before him, is currently committed to Oklahoma State.

Holliday has been expected to turn pro straight out of high school for years, though, just as his brother Jackson did when the Baltimore Orioles took him No. 1 overall in 2022. Ethan hit .611 with 19 home runs, 57 runs, 64 RBIs, 44 walks and a 2.038 OPS as a senior this season, earning Gatorade Player of the Year honors in the process.

MLB Pipeline has Holliday's power tool rated at a 65, his arm tool at a 55 and his hit, run and field tools at 50s.

The No. 4 overall pick carries a slot value of $8.77 million, but it remains to be seen how much the 6-foot-4, 210-pound infielder will be asking for at the negotiating table.

MLB.com, Baseball America and The Athletic had Holliday ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect in his class, while ESPN had him ranked No. 2 behind LSU left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson. Eli Willits – another high school shortstop out of Oklahoma whose father played in the big leagues – wound up going No. 1 to the Washington Nationals, while the Los Angeles Angels selected UC Santa Barbara right-hander Tyler Bremner went No. 2.

The Seattle Mariners took Anderson with the No. 3 overall pick, leaving Holliday as the clear choice for Colorado at No. 4.

Of the Rockies' top-10 prospects at the moment, none are shortstops, considering Cole Carrigg has moved to the outfield on a full-time basis this season. Gold Glove shortstop Ezequiel Tovar is under contract through at least 2030, however, so Holliday could wind up being the heir apparent to third baseman Ryan McMahon instead.

Related MiLB Stories

• FUTURES GAME LINEUPS: From Konnor Griffin and Charlie Condon to Max Clark and Sebastian Walcott, a handful of the top prospects in baseball took center stage in Atlanta on Saturday. CLICK HERE

• SNELLING REACHES AAA: Robby Snelling, who has reestablished himself as one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in the minors, just took a major leap forward in the Miami Marlins' farm system. CLICK HERE

• KEUCHEL TO KC: Dallas Keuchel is trying to keep his career alive, signing a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals as they look to build more rotation depth heading into the second half. CLICK HERE

Follow MiLB On SI on social media

Continue to follow our Minor League Baseball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.