In less than a fortnight, this league will likely hear a familiar last name. Ethan Holliday—the 2025 top MLB draft pick and one of the most talked-about prospects. He’s soon to join his father Matt and brother, Jackson, in the family legacy. Clearly, the sport runs deep in his blood as he chases greatness. Ethan happens to be the youngest phenom in a true baseball dynasty.

The 18-year-old senior shortstop has had an impressive season so far. He has helped the Pioneers to the 6A quarter finals. At the plate, he has recorded an incredible .611 and driven in 64 runs with 19 home runs. In the class of 2025, Ethan Holliday’s stats have ranked him as the top high school prospect.

And it actually comes from his roots…

Who are the parents of Ethan Holliday? Meet Matt and Leslee Holliday

You’d sure know Matt Holliday—Ethan’s father, who has deep ties with Major League Baseball. Drafted by the Colorado Rockies, Matt was picked in the second round of the MLB draft back in 1998. In just his first five seasons, he became a three-time All-Star. The Rockies made the most of Matt’s powerful swing and presence at the plate. It helped the team, specifically during the early 2000s, to become one of the competitive clubs across the league.

Holliday family’s legacy has a lot more to it…

Ethan’s elder brother, Jackson Holliday. He was the first overall pick in the MLB draft by the Baltimore Orioles in 2022. That achievement alone raised the bar for the younger one. And if we were to go by the scouts’ prediction, Ethan is very close to matching his brother’s historic feat by being picked first overall. Want to know another interesting fact?

If Ethan gets chosen first overall, it would make Jackson and Ethan the first siblings in the league to be the top pick in the history of MLB Drafts.

Coming to Ethan’s mom, Leslee Holliday – she is the driving force behind the scenes. Leslee met Matt during her college and they tied the knot on December 30, 2000.

Well, it’s just the surface of the Holliday legacy. Like to go deeper?

What ethnicity are Ethan Holliday’s parents?

Ethan’s mom, Leslee, is American. She’s identified as a part of the white ethnicity. She met Matt in Oklahoma; that’s where she was raised as well. Before that, her early years were spent in Texas, her birth state. Leslee is a devout Christian who has built her family grounded in simplicity. “I am a very simple person who does like to live a simple life,” she shared.

Even though Leslee is not a professional athlete, she is well-known in baseball and recognized as one of the most loved WAGs (wives and girlfriends) of the sport.

Meanwhile, Ethan’s father, Matt, is a proud American who was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma. His ancestry includes German, Italian, and English heritage. Across the baseball world and beyond, he’s known as a seven-time MLB All-Star who has devoted himself to the sport from 2004 to 2018. His career highlight came in 2011. With the Cardinals, he became a World Series champion.

In 2022, Matt Holliday marked his name in the Cards Hall of Fame.

Inside Ethan Holliday’s relationship with his parents

Behind the scenes of Ethan Holliday being one of the top prospects, Matt and Leslee have always been super supportive.

Matt recently recalled a beautiful memory from a major tournament in Arizona. He revealed how the scouts loved Ethan despite the spotlight on Jackson. “Scouts were watching Jackson, and then they saw Ethan as a freshman playing third base; they were blown away.”

That explains why Ethan was consecutively ranked at the top among the players in his class.

Ethan’s father has also acknowledged their sons’ emotions. “Jackson is very matter-of-fact… Ethan is a bit more emotional, so I have to pick my spots and let him come to me first.” 

Matt also tries to bring his kids closer to learning about Jesus while they chase their dreams.

Not just him, Leslee has also played a significant role in both of her sons’ lives. She has been their source of emotional support. The senior night games were when Leslee being there helped them the most.

All four of them have attended many baseball games together in the past. They have seen it as a ritual. And it seems like one of the threads that keeps their bond alive.