BOSTON — Sure, there was plenty for Jackson Holliday to do before leading off for the Baltimore Orioles against the Boston Red Sox. But when the chance came for Jackson to talk and brag about his younger brother, Ethan, he hopped on the opportunity like a first-pitch fastball.

Now firmly entrenched in the Baltimore lineup as the team’s everyday second baseman in his second MLB season, Jackson skyrocketed through the Orioles’ minor league system after being selected with the top overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft.

That quick rise gives Colorado Rockies fans hope about what the near future might hold for Ethan, taken with the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft.

“Being raised by our dad, we have similar approaches and similar points of view of the game,” Jackson said of the influence of his father Matt, a seven-time All-Star, including three times with the Rockies. “Obviously, he (Ethan) has the ability to do some other stuff that maybe I can’t do, and I can do stuff that he can’t, but that’s just part of it. You’re able to add stuff to your skill set and I think he has a very good baseline to work with.”

Adding on to that baseline will be one of the main points of emphasis for the younger Holliday as he acclimates to life as a professional baseball player. Heading into Wednesday’s action, Ethan had 21 at-bats with Low-A Fresno, posting a .286 batting average.

Jackson had 42 Class A at-bats in 2022 shortly after he was drafted. The next season, he started at Low-A before advancing all the way to Triple-A.

While that’s no guarantee that that will be Ethan’s trajectory, Jackson shared that these first few games in the farm system’s lower levels of are important for several reasons.

“It’s pretty important to be able to get to know some of your teammates. I played with Basallo (Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo) in the FCL (Florida Complex League) and it’s definitely a different type of baseball from what you’re used to. Once you get into pro ball, everyone has really good skill sets, but you still see similar things that you saw in high school as well. It’s a funny dynamic, but it’s definitely helpful to get your first pro games under your belt. That’s absolutely important.”

With Ethan now across the country rather than back at the Holliday home in Oklahoma, Jackson said the conversations he has with his brother have changed as Ethan is adjusting to life as a professional and living on his own.

“Trying to help navigate a Low-A schedule and certain circumstances that come with being in the lower level of the minor leagues. That includes how to approach the day and carry on with your business,” Jackson said. “I think he’s done a good job so far. He’s playing great.

“We’ve talked about certain things that he thought were going to be different, and that’s a part of this. This is that the point of your career that you make some jumps by yourself.”

Of course, with the Hollidays so steeped in baseball, Ethan will have plenty of support from inside his family as he grows into the player that the Rockies envision being a part of the next core group at Coors Field.

However, Jackson said that the relationships built at the rookie and Low-A levels can be a part of the baseball journey, no matter where you’re playing in the organization.

“Coming up with some of these guys, I made friends pretty quickly. We had a lot of our guys in Low-A with me, like (outfielder Dylan) Beavers and some of these guys,” Jackson said, motioning toward the rest of the Baltimore clubhouse. “We all went through together. I think Ethan has one other buddy that was a hitter that went up with him (to Fresno), so that helped. Also, we had all of our coordinators there at that time too, which helped a lot.

“It’s definitely different when you go from playing high school to having to build your own schedule, but I think he’s done a good job.”

Speaking like a proud big brother, Jackson sees good things ahead for Ethan hopefully soon.

“I’m excited for him. I think he’ll enjoy spring training in Arizona,” Jackson said. “He has a bunch of buddies who were drafted in that that area. I think that will be helpful with all those spring training areas being somewhat close. He won’t lack friends and close family being around.

“I think he’s in a great position to make the big leagues as fast as possible, and there are some really great places to hit in the Rockies organization. Once he gets out to Hartford, he’ll be somewhat close to me and that will be good.”