Cal Ripken Jr. honored as Orioles top prospect wears father's #7 in MLB debut: 'Wonderful tribute'

Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. reacts to Jackson Holliday's MLB debut with his father’s number and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation opening its 500th STEM center for kids

Top prospect Jackson Holliday made his Major League debut with the Baltimore Orioles Wednesday, wearing the same number as Cal Ripken Sr. and his father, former All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday. 

Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. joined "Fox & Friends" to react to Holliday wearing his father's number and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation opening its 500th STEM center for kids.

Ripken Jr. said Holliday wearing the number of his late father, a longtime coach and manager for the Orioles, was "a wonderful tribute."

"I got a call yesterday morning. How would you feel about Jackson Holliday wearing number seven, and I right away said I'd be honored. I think it'd be great. It brings up an opportunity to talk about dad and the significance of dad to the Oriole organization."

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FILE - In this 20 September 1998 file photo, Baltimore Orioles third baseman Cal Ripken Jr. tips his hat to the New York Yankees players who joined fans at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD for a standing ovation to acknowledge Ripken's consecutive game streak. (HEATHER HALL/AFP via Getty Images)

Ripken Jr. explained why he believed it was time for the number to be passed down to a new player. 

"He's [Holliday] a wonderful talent. He's a wonderful kid. It was an easy decision. I really appreciate what the Orioles did all these years by unofficially keeping the jersey just to my dad. But I think it's time for someone else to enjoy that number."

Holliday, whose own father wore #7 at times during his playing career, was the first