MLB post-hype check-in: What to make of former big...
Key takeaways
- This is especially true for young hitters, who face one pitching wizard after another followed by some sorcerer chucking invisible sliders followed by a diabolical closer throwing 102 mph in the ninth inning.
- It's not easy, which means many top prospects don't burst out of the gate as polished players.
- Let's do a post-hype check-in on a dozen interesting young players who are still looking to put it all together.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
What should you make of Jackson Holliday and other former big-time MLB prospects? Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images David Schoenfield Jun 5, 2026, 07:00 AM ETClose Covers MLB for ESPN.com Former deputy editor of Page 2 Been with ESPN.com since 1995Multiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions Players like Corbin Carroll, Paul Skenes, Nick Kurtz and now Kevin Mc Gonigle have spoiled it for all hyped Major League Baseball prospects in recent years: We expect instant stardom from them, forgetting that baseball, as the great Jimmy Dugan once said, is "supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it."
This is especially true for young hitters, who face one pitching wizard after another followed by some sorcerer chucking invisible sliders followed by a diabolical closer throwing 102 mph in the ninth inning.
It's not easy, which means many top prospects don't burst out of the gate as polished players. Jordan Walker is the latest example of that, finally breaking out in his fourth season in the majors -- and still just 24 years old.