Jackson Holliday, the No. 2 prospect in baseball, is on his way to Baltimore to potentially rejoin the Orioles, two sources with direct knowledge confirmed to The Baltimore Sun.

The team has yet to announce a roster move, and it’s unclear when he could rejoin the club. The Orioles play Wednesday afternoon at Camden Yards before heading to Cleveland to face the Guardians for a four-game series beginning Thursday. Holliday was not in the lineup for Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday night.

Holliday, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft, is hitting .271 with a .908 OPS in Triple-A this season. If he’s recalled, it will be his second stint in the major leagues after the 20-year-old struggled in his first MLB action, going just 2 for 34 with 18 strikeouts before being demoted.

The Baltimore Banner was first to report Holliday was on his way to Baltimore.

This story will be updated.

As his parents and other members of his extended baseball family worked the ballpark’s concession stands years ago to raise money for a team trip to Cooperstown, New York, the younger Selby marveled at the size of the venue.

Now that it’s essentially his office, Selby is over it.

A native of Chesapeake who won a state title with Western Branch High in 2014 before starring for Division III Randolph-Macon College, the 26-year-old Selby is now working out of the Norfolk Tides’ bullpen.

After stops with six minor league teams and two in the majors in three organizations, the workplaces blend together.

“I remember when I was younger, I thought this place was a lot bigger,” Selby said. “And you play in a couple different stadiums, and you come back and it’s the same size as all the other ones. But yeah, it’s been fun.”

Selby, a soft-spoken right-hander with a curly red beard that would make any pirate proud, joined the Baltimore Orioles’ organization when he was traded by the Kansas City Royals for cash on July 11.

He entered Saturday’s game against Jacksonville with a 0-0 record, a 3.00 ERA and a save through three relief outings with Norfolk.

For a parent club in search of bullpen help, Selby offers an intriguing level of experience.

Originally a 16th-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018, Selby pitched in 21 major league games with Pittsburgh last season and two more with the Royals this year.

He has an 8.67 ERA in the big leagues, but he’s walked 17 and struck out 30 in 27 innings.

Through 139 appearances in the minors, Selby has a 3.65 ERA with 126 walks and 309 strikeouts in 286 1/3 innings, a body of work that proves he’s a strike-thrower.

As much as he’s defied the odds by reaching the major leagues from a D-III program, Selby has done it in another way by landing with his hometown team.

Since 1969, according to the Tides’ archives, just 13 players from Hampton Roads high schools have played for the team.

On a roster frequently dotted with players from all over the world, it’s a rarity.

“I think it’s always one of those things that go in the back of your head,” said corner infielder Coby Mayo, Selby’s 22-year-old teammate. “It’d be cool to play where you grew up.”

For now, Selby is living in his childhood home in Chesapeake. His parents are looking to sell the house and move to Northern Virginia, so he has to find other accommodations by mid-August.

The setup, no matter how fleeting, is a far cry from those at his previous stops, like Greensboro, Altoona, Indianapolis and Omaha.

“You see your parents and your dogs every day, so I can’t complain about that,” Selby said. “It is weird going back home and being like, ‘All right, Mom, I’m going to work.’ ”

Should Selby pitch his way out of Norfolk, he’ll be thrust into an American League East race with the first-place Orioles.

It’s something that, as he takes in Harbor Park in a different way, he’s trying not to think about.

“I think that’s where a lot of guys get in trouble, is when they are kind of in awe when they get on the mound,” Selby said. “I mean, it’s the same game you’ve been playing since you were a little kid. There might be an extra deck in the stands, but at the end of the day, you’re playing the same game. Just go out there and compete.”

David Hall, david.hall@pilotonline.com

From 757 to Tides

Players from Hampton Roads high schools who have played for the Tides since 1969:

Mike Ballard, Ocean Lakes

D.J. Dozier, Kempsville

Jason Dubois, Cox

David Duff, Menchville

Tim Lavigne, Cox

Trey McCoy, First Colonial

Clay Rapada, Deep Creek

Josh Rupe, Greenbrier Christian

Bill Scripture, Princess Anne

Colin Selby, Western Branch

Garrett Stallings, Grassfield

Matt Williams, Kellam

David Wright, Hickory

Another online report called Holliday, a Norfolk Tides middle infielder and the top prospect in the Baltimore Orioles’ organization, “the most untouchable prospect in baseball,” an indication that the 20-year-old is likely staying put.

But as Major League Baseball’s July 30 trade deadline creeps closer, rumors continue to fly. Holliday, the top overall pick in the 2022 draft, doesn’t seek them out. But he’s certainly not immune.

“Obviously, I don’t live in a cave,” Holliday said this week after taking pregame ground balls at second base. “I have Instagram and Twitter. Yeah, I see them. But I’m just trying to come out here and focus on getting better every day. At the end of the day, whatever happens happens. But I’m trying to focus on playing baseball here and for the Orioles.”

It’s an annual tradition, especially at the Triple-A level, for players to play a guessing game about their own futures each July. Rumors reach a crescendo as the deadline approaches, often up until the minute it passes.

On the day of the 6 p.m. deadline last season, then-Norfolk second baseman and outfielder Connor Norby — as much a subject of speculation as any player in the organization — sat in the Tides’ first-base dugout and wondered aloud to no one, “Is it 6:01 yet?”

It is, the players say, part of the deal at the minors’ highest level, especially in a loaded organization in which the parent club is on the market for pieces that will help it get a leg up in the competitive American League East.

Part of Norfolk manager Buck Britton’s job each July is helping to keep his players present as rumors swirl.

“That’s one of the tricky parts, especially with all this young talent that we do have,” Britton said. “With social media nowadays, we know that the Orioles are shopping for certain players, and certain players are on the blocks. I just tell them: No. 1, it’s out of our control. And the job is still to go out and play hard every day because with that deadline being here, you never know who’s watching.”

Tides corner infielder Coby Mayo, the organization’s third-ranked prospect according to MLB.com, is another subject of rumors.

The slugging Mayo, who leads Norfolk with 19 home runs, is as aware of the online talk as Holliday.

“I’ve always said I’d be lying to say that we don’t look at it and follow it because it’s our future, and we kind of just want to see what’s out there and what may happen,” Mayo said, his shirt soaked with sweat after an extended short-hop drill at first base on a muggy afternoon. “You may think about those things, but right now, we have a game tonight, and that’s all you have to really worry about.”

Holliday, the son of former All-Star Matt Holliday, got his first taste of the major leagues in April, when he went 2 for 34 (.059) in an unsightly 10-game stint.

But he’s rebounded. Holliday is batting .281 with 10 homers, 37 RBIs and a .927 OPS through 67 games with Norfolk. Notably, with 74 walks and 69 strikeouts, he leads the International League with a .439 on-base percentage.

The Orioles paid Holliday a record $8.19 million signing bonus for him to forgo his commitment to Oklahoma State.

Holliday, who is back at second base after a minor elbow injury briefly limited him to a designated-hitter role, said he wasn’t sure whether that’s enough to make him truly untouchable.

“I would like to think so, but you never know,” he said. “Like I said, my focus is here with the Orioles, trying to get better each and every day and help this team win and help the big league team win, hopefully here very soon. That’s my goal. So nothing other than that is what I’m focusing on right now.”

Britton cited former Tides shortstop Joey Ortiz, who was stuck in a logjam with Norfolk, but is now thriving in the major leagues after being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers as a player for whom a swap worked out.

It’s part of why Britton encourages his players to keep their focus on the field, even as fans speculate about other things.

“It could take one at-bat,” Britton said. “It could take one hard-nosed play defensively where somebody goes, ‘All right, that’s the guy that we want.’ And then you get an opportunity to go play in the big leagues.”

David Hall, david.hall@pilotonline.com.

It has been rescheduled as part of a single-admission doubleheader Friday. The first game will start at 5:35 p.m., with gates opening at 4:30. A Youth Jersey Giveaway for the first 2,000 kids 17 and under will begin at 4:30 at each entry gate.

Fans may exchange their July 25 tickets at the Harbor Park box office for any remaining regular-season home game this season.

It’s the second time this week a Tides game has been rained out. Tuesday’s series opener was postponed, and the teams played two games on Wednesday.

The Tides (47-50, 11-11 in the International League season’s second half) won the first game 6-5, while the Jumbo Shrimp (47-50, 12-10) took the second contest 1-0.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles have made several moves. They optioned pitcher Chayce McDermott back to Norfolk after he made his MLB debut Wednesday night in Miami. They also recalled infielder/outfielder Connor Norby and pitcher Bryan Baker from the Tides and placed infielder/outfielder Jorge Mateo on the 10-day injured list.

The series opener, postponed due to rain on Tuesday night, was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader. The Jumbo Shrimp won the second game 1-0 to earn a split.

Maton has been on a tear. In his past four games going into the second game of the twinbill, he was hitting .428 with four homers, six runs and 11 RBIs.

In the first game, the Tides (47-50, 11-11 second half) trailed 5-3 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, but Shayne Fontana and Terrin Vavra both walked to reach base. Maton followed with his 11th homer of the season, a shot to right-center field.

DOWN FIVE…TWO MEN ON…MATON MASHES A WALK-OFF THREE-RUN HOME RUN

TIDES WWWWWINNN!!!!#DefendtheHarbor pic.twitter.com/J2FqKO4HQe

— Norfolk Tides (@NorfolkTides) July 24, 2024

Jacksonville (47-50, 12-10) led 5-0 after the second inning, getting to Tides starter Cade Povich early. Jhonny Pereda hit a two-run single in the first inning and Jose Devers’ double and three Tides errors capped a three-run second.

Povich settled down and pitched six innings, allowing all five runs on six hits. He struck out two and walked one.

Luis González (5-2) pitched a scoreless top of the seventh to earn the victory. Jacksonville reliever Anthony Maldonado (4-4) gave up four runs in a third of an inning.

Jacksonville’s 5-0 lead stood until the bottom of the sixth, when Norfolk’s Kyle Stowers hit a three-run homer for his 18th long ball of the season. Maverick Handley and Hudson Haskin both singled to reach base.

The Tides finished with only five hits, but got the most out of two big swings.

In the nightcap, Jacksonville starter Shaun Anderson (2-1) tossed six scoreless innings, allowing two hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Reliever Emmanuel Ramirez threw a scoreless seventh to complete the shutout.

Norfolk starter Tucker Davidson (3-4) pitched well, giving up one run on five hits in six innings. He got no run support, though.

Coby Mayo and Vavra had the Tides’ lone hits.

The teams are scheduled to play a 12:05 p.m. game Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles selected the contract of Tides right-hander Chayce McDermott, and he made his MLB debut Wednesday night against the Miami Marlins on the road. He allowed three runs on five hits in four innings, striking out three and walking two in 82 pitches.

The Orioles rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth inning to ensure McDermott wouldn’t take the loss, but Miami won the game 6-3.

Baltimore also optioned reliever Bryan Baker to the Tides and designated right-hander Jonathan Heasley for assignment.

The Orioles plan to add Tides second baseman Connor Norby to their taxi squad in case infielder Jorge Mateo has to go on the injured list. Mateo suffered an elbow injury in Tuesday night’s game.

The game has been rescheduled as part of a single-admission doubleheader Wednesday, starting at 5:35 p.m. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m.

Fans can exchange tickets for Tuesday’s game at the Harbor Park box office for any remaining regular-season home game this season. If they choose to attend Wednesday’s scheduled doubleheader, they will need to exchange their tickets and obtain a new ticket since the Tides can’t guarantee the same seats will be available.

Single-game tickets start at $16 for reserved seats, and box seats are available for $17. The Tides also offer special discounts to students through high school, active military with ID and senior citizens (60 and over). Children under 2 years of age are admitted free.

In addition to the box office, fans can purchase individual game tickets on norfolktides.com.

They’ll also return with a subpar 44-48 overall record and an 8-9 mark in the second half.

But minor league seasons, especially at the Triple-A level, aren’t best measured in wins and losses.

The defending IL and Triple-A champion Tides exist, essentially, to develop and funnel players to the parent Baltimore Orioles. And by that measure, it’s been another productive season.

The pipeline

Twenty players have played for both Norfolk and Baltimore this season, including four who have made their big league debuts.

The list includes three players who have spent time with Norfolk while on major league rehabilitation stints, another important function of the Triple-A level.

Who’s been good

Corner infielder Coby Mayo (.301), outfielder Heston Kjerstad (.300) and second baseman/outfielder Connor Norby (.296) are among the league’s top 10 in batting average.

The slugging Mayo, 22, is tied for third in the IL with 19 home runs and is third with a .983 OPS, though he’s yet to make his highly anticipated big league debut.

How hard does Mayo swing? Out of Norfolk’s fastest exit velocities this season, the top six all belong to him. Mayo’s 115-mph double on April 10 is the team’s hardest-hit ball this season.

Kjerstad, 25, was among the IL leaders in several offensive categories before he was recalled last month. He’s currently on Baltimore’s injured list with a concussion.

Norby, a 24-year-old former East Carolina star, hit .214 with a homer in a four-game June stint with the Orioles, the first of his career.

A frequently rumored trade piece as the loaded Orioles compete for another American League East title, Norby leads the IL with 163 total bases and 70 runs.

The kid

Top prospect Jackson Holliday, a career shortstop who continues to learn second base, had a disastrous major league debut. In 10 April games, the 20-year-old former top overall draft pick went 2 for 34 (.059) and was quickly optioned back down.

He’ll be back. Holliday is hitting .273 through 64 games with Norfolk, but his real success lies in his secondary numbers. Holliday, the son of former All-Star Matt Holliday, leads the IL with 72 walks (against 67 strikeouts), is second with a .442 OBP and is 10th with a .913 OPS.

The plate discipline that propelled Holliday through four levels of the minors last season is alive and well.

High times

Drawing 6,227 fans per home game, the Tides are ninth in the 20-team IL in average attendance. Their average attendance last season was just shy of 5,800.

With a variety of novel rebranding merchandise items available for sale, the team store is doing tremendous business as well.

Last month, merchandise sales were up 52% through the same number of games last season.

Take a bow

Tides manager Buck Britton got something this week that Triple-A managers rarely get: national TV exposure.

Britton, a former Norfolk utilityman, pitched to the Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson in MLB’s Home Run Derby. Henderson, who played for the Tides in 2022, was eliminated in the first round.

Winding down

The Nashville series is part of a nine-game, 10-day homestand. Next, Jacksonville comes in for six.

After that, remarkably, only four homestands remain this season.

David Hall, david.hall@pilotonline.com.

McDermott, 25, worked a quality start Friday at Memphis in his lone outing of the week to earn the honor. He is the first Norfolk player in Baltimore Orioles affiliate franchise history to win a weekly award four times in his Tides career.

McDermott, who also won IL Player of the Week on May 5 after taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Nashville, has posted a 3-5 record with a 3.70 earned-run average in 19 games with the Tides this season.

McDermott leads all minor league pitchers in strikeouts (128) while leading the IL in batting average against (.218) and ranking third in ERA.

McDermott also leads all Tides pitchers in WHIP (1.40), innings pitched (90) and games started (18). In 11 of his past 13 starts since the beginning of May, McDermott has struck out at least seven batters, highlighted by a career-high 12 on July 1 against Durham.

Through 26 career starts with Norfolk, McDermott, has struck out 192 batters, averaging 7.38 strikeouts per game.

Originally a fourth-round draft pick out of Ball State by the Houston Astros in 2021, McDermott came to the Orioles’ organization as part of a three-team trade that sent infielder/outfielder Trey Mancini to Houston.

The 6-foot-3, 197-pound McDermott is the seventh-ranked prospect in Baltimore’s farm system according to MLB.com.

David Hall, david.hall@pilotonline.com.

The Tides still won the series 4-2 and head into the International League’s All-Star break with records of 44-48 overall and 8-9 in the second half.

Memphis (47-46, 9-9) snapped a three-game skid.

Saggese’s first homer was a two-run shot that put the Redbirds ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning. Norfolk answered with two runs in the second to tie it. Nick Maton hit a two-run homer for his third in two days and 10th of the season.

The Tides took the lead with a run in the third and two more in the fourth. Jackson Holliday scored on a wild pitch by Memphis starter Gordon Graceffo in the third. Maton scored when Blake Hunt reached on a fielding error in the fourth, and Holliday added an RBI single.

Holliday finished 3 for 5 with an RBI and run, and Maton went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs.

The Redbirds stormed back in the sixth. Saggese and Cesar Prieto each hit solo homers, Gavin Collins hit an RBI single, Victor Scott II hit a sacrifice fly and Prieto reached on a fielding error that scored Arquimedes Gamboa.

Norfolk starter Brandon Young allowed two runs on three hits in four innings. Reliever Carlos Tavera (2-2) allowed all six of Memphis’ runs in the sixth.

Redbirds reliever Andre Granillo (2-0) pitched 2.1 scoreless innings for the victory.

The Tides are off until Friday, when they will open a three-game home series against Nashville at 6:35 p.m. It will be 2023 Triple-A National Championship Snow Globe Giveaway Night.

Norfolk (8-8, 44-47) has won three straight and scored a combined 23 runs in its past two games. The Tides have won four of five in the series.

Niko Goodrum also homered among his three hits and had two RBIs, Coby Mayo had three hits and two runs and Garrett Cooper had two hits, two RBIs and two runs for the Tides.

Norfolk, which finished with 16 hits, did all of its damage early, scoring five runs in the first inning, four in the third and three in the fourth.

Cooper’s two-run single sparked the first-inning surge, Maton’s grand slam came in the third and Maton and Goodrum hit solo shots in the fourth.

Tides starter Tucker Davidson (3-3) picked up the victory, allowing three runs on two hits in five innings.

Memphis starter Victor Santos (3-5) gave up nine runs on seven hits in 2.2 innings.

The teams will conclude the series with a 2:05 p.m. game today. It will be the last game before the International League’s All-Star break.