Jackson Holliday's struggles typical as "Paul Skenes, Jackson Merrill, Jackson Chourio are exceptions" in rookie performances, says ex-MLB star

Despite being a former No. 1 draft pick, Orioles rookie Jackson Holliday's performance pales to the NL ROY contenders - Paul Skenes, Jackson Merrill and Jackson Chourio. However, former MLB star Trevor Plouffe doesn't think it is something to worry about.

Plouffe, who played nine seasons in the MLB was part of the US National team that won the 2009 Baseball World Cup. In Monday's weekly recap episode of "Talkin' Baseball", Plouffe said that Holliday's recent struggles are nothing to worry about as he felt it is what is to be expected of a rookie baseballer:

"I think sometimes guys will get to the big leagues having nothing but success in their baseball career from the time they're in Little League all the way to the big leagues. There are a lot of guys who come up and who have never struggled at any point, to a certain extent, in baseball. They get to the big leagues, and it's so different" [1:32:35]

Moreover, the former Twins slugger claimed that Skenes, Merrill and Chourio are outliers to the norm:

"I think so many times we just forget that, and we just expect these guys, especially in today's game where we're seeing players like Jackson Chourio, Jackson Merrill and Paul Skenes come up and dominate. Those guys are like the exception; they're not the rule. That's not what you should expect." [1:32:56]

The Orioles recently demoted Jackson Holliday's fellow rookie Coby Mayo to Triple-A. Moreover, Holliday has struggled for form, particularly in the series against the Detroit Tigers which the Orioles lost 2-1. Holliday didn't play in the final game.

However, Plouffe doesn't think the recent struggles have affected Holliday mentally as a baseballer. He feels the No.1 draft pick has been handling it well even though Emmanuel Rivera seems poised to take his spot in the lineup:

"Emanuel Rivera, 28 years old, has a .780 OPS. He's going to start; he's playing like he's going to play because he's producing. When you see that, it's going to light a fire under these guys.

"Jackson Holliday is going into this offseason, and I don't know what's going to happen. Maybe he becomes a postseason hero; I don't know, but it's going to light a fire in him during the offseason." [1:33:57]

Sportscaster warns against unfair comparison between Jackson Holliday, Jackson Chourio and Jackson Merrill

Three rookies, all named Jackson, have taken the MLB by storm in 2024. Jackson Merrill had a rough start but has become one of the best clutch sluggers in the MLB for the Padres. Jackson Chourio's remarkable talents helped the Brewers clinch the NL Central. Jackson Holliday rose stronger after being demoted to Triple-A after his initial stint.

Before the playoff race began to heat, Sportscaster Chris Rose warned against unfair comparison between the three Jackson on the Sept. 3 episode of JM Baseball. Rose said (19:27):

"I just think the question of, 'Jackson, Jackson, Jackson, who are you going to take for your career?' is something fantastic. Now, what I hate when people do this in a discussion is that they want to drag somebody else down in order to build their candidate."

Rose further said that unfair comparisons are not exclusive to the sporting world but also in political arenas. The Sportscaster expressed disgust for such comparisons and urged fans and analysts to appreciate the three rookies.

Merrill and Chourio have been essential for their respective teams, but that cannot be said of Jackson Holliday. However, it won't take a slugger long to find form, and with the playoffs looming, the Orioles rookie can show what he is worth.