Feb 12, 2026, 5:53 PM ET

Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (hand) made a significant jump in his sophomore season compared to his rookie campaign, where he struggled with a .189 batting average and .566 OPS. Holliday improved in his second year of the big leagues by slashing .242/.314/.375 with 17 home runs, 55 RBI, 70 runs, 17 stolen bases, and a .308 wOBA across 649 plate appearances. The 22-year-old's stats were below the league average last year, but he is trending in the right direction, suggesting he can build on his sophomore campaign. He cut down his strikeouts and increased his walks, evidenced by his K% dropping from 33.3% in 2024 to 21.6% while his BB% rose from 7.2% to 8.6% in 2025. The 2022 No. 1 overall pick still has ways to go, but if he can continue to improve in 2026, a 20/20 campaign is not out of the question. Holliday is a candidate to lead off in a loaded Orioles lineup that includes Pete Alonso, Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, Adley Rutschman, and Taylor Ward. From the leadoff spot, Holliday slashed .244/.321/.374 with 13 home runs in 116 games in his career so far. Holliday is still just 22 years old and is currently No. 9 in the latest RotoBaller second base rankings. If he can continue to improve and win Baltimore's leadoff spot in the batting order, a top-five finish is in the cards and is a value pick at his NFBC ADP of 137.15. ATC projects Holliday to slash .247/.325/.394 with 15 home runs, 55 RBI, 74 runs, and 15 stolen bases over 133 games in 2026. Update 2/12/26: Holliday underwent surgery for a fractured hamate bone in his right hand and is expected to start the season on the injured list. With the latest update, Holiday's fantasy stock takes a hit and is now ranked 201st overall. He is still worth drafting around pick 200 due to his upside, but could get off to a slow start as he works his way back from his injury.--Brad Camara - RotoBaller