Top Orioles prospect attributes drastic MLB improvement to unexpected source

Jackson Holliday is finding his groove in his second stint with the Baltimore Orioles. What is the key to the second baseman's improvement? You probably wouldn't be able to guess. The young slugger said he started playing "Golden Tee Golf," an arcade game, while he was with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides and believes it to be a good-luck charm.

"Honestly, once I started playing [the game] in Norfolk, I started hitting good again," the 20-year-old said Saturday via MLB.com's Jake Rill. "I made a hole-in-one on a par-five today, so I think that was a guaranteed two hits."

Rill notes that Holliday played "Golden Tee" in the visitors' clubhouse at Progressive Field before the Orioles' road matchup with the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday. Unsurprisingly, he recorded his second consecutive multi-hit game in a 7-4 victory. Holliday carried the momentum into Sunday's game. The first overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft hit the second home run of his big league career in a 9-5 win.

Holliday went 2-for-34, with one RBI, two walks, five runs scored and 18 strikeouts in his first 10 games with Baltimore in April. Since being called up at the end of July, he has gone 7-for-18 with one double, two homers, seven RBI, two walks, five runs scored and five strikeouts in five games.

Perhaps the Orioles should consider investing in a "Golden Tee" arcade machine to help the rookie maintain his hot hand. Of course, tweaking his swing mechanics and helping him see the whole field should also help.

"I'm starting to see the ball a little deeper and allowing myself to go the other way, which allows me to see the ball for a longer time," Holliday said. "Honestly, a whole lot more comfortable. Just trusting myself and my approach and just trying to have fun."

Holliday's emergence is critical for Baltimore (67-46), especially in a tight American League East race. The Orioles are tied for first in the division with the New York Yankees (67-46). Baltimore already boasts a potent lineup that includes shortstop Gunnar Henderson and catcher Adley Rutschman. The Orioles may just need one more star to elevate it.