The Baltimore Orioles today announced that they have signed their first overall selection of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, infielder JACKSON HOLLIDAY, from Stillwater High School (OK). The 2022 First-Year Player Draft marked the third time in Orioles history that the club had the first overall selection in the MLB Draft, joining 2019, when the club selected catcher ADLEY RUTSCHMAN out of Oregon State University, and 1989, when they selected right-handed pitcher BEN McDONALD out of Louisiana State University.

Holliday, 18, hit .685/.749/1.392 (89-for-130) with 29 doubles, six triples, 17 home runs, 74 runs scored, 79 RBI, and 30 stolen bases in 40 games during his senior season and was named a Preseason Second-Team All-American by Baseball America and Perfect Game. The 89 hits set a national high school record for hits in a single season, surpassing the previous record of 88 set by J.T. Realmuto in 2010. Holliday’s season led to him being selected as the Gatorade Oklahoma Baseball Player of the Year and Baseball America’s High School Player of the Year. He was named the top player in Oklahoma by Perfect Game. Jackson is the son of 15-year MLB veteran and seven-time All-Star MATT HOLLIDAY, who played for the Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, and New York Yankees from 2004-18. Matt was originally selected by Colorado in the seventh round of the 1998 First-Year Player Draft out of Stillwater High School (OK). Jackson became the first high schooler taken by the Orioles in the first round since right-handed pitcher GRAYSON RODRIGUEZ (No. 11 overall) in 2018, and the first high school position player taken by the Orioles in the first round since infielder RYAN MOUNTCASTLE (No. 36 overall) in 2015. He was ranked as the No. 2 overall draft prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 3 by Baseball America.

The Orioles will welcome the Stillwater, Okla., native to Baltimore today, with a press conference and an in-game greeting during tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The press conference will stream live on Orioles Facebook, Orioles Twitter, Orioles YouTube, and Orioles.com.

Overall, the Orioles have signed 16 of their 22 selections from the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, including each of their top four picks and 11 of their top 12. The deadline for teams to sign their draft picks is Monday, August 1 at 5:00 p.m. ET.