Keeping it in the family: Rockies draft Ethan Holliday, son of franchise legend Matt Holliday

DENVER — Like father, like son.

The Rockies drafted Ethan Holliday with the 4th overall pick in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft on Sunday. Ethan is the 18-year-old son of former Rockies star outfielder Matt Holliday.

Ethan was born in 2007, the same year Matt helped lead the Rockies to their only World Series appearance.

"I'm just so thankful, obviously with the family background [...] just adds to such a cool fan thing," Ethan Holliday told MLB Network after the pick was made. "Knowing everybody in the organization since I was born, so I'm just super thankful."

Ethan is the first high school player picked by the Rockies since they took outfielder Benny Montgomery in 2021. Many baseball experts and analysts believe Ethan was the best player available in the entire draft. He was ranked second on ESPN's list of MLB Draft prospects ahead of Sunday.

He batted .611 with 19 homers and 64 RBI's in his senior year at Stillwater High School in Oklahoma. The Rockies have two young shortstops with great potential, Zeke Tovar and Ryan Ritter, already playing in the major leagues. But the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Holliday could play 3^rd base with the organization

Ethan's brother Jaxson was the 1^st overall pick in the draft in 2022 and is already playing in the majors with the Baltimore Orioles.