SARASOTA, Fla.– Jackson Holliday hit off a tee earlier today to test the right hand that used to be protected with a cast.

Holliday said the hand “feels really good,” and he was excited to take 40 swings as the latest step in his progression.

“Got a pad on there and messing around with some new knobs,” he said, “so feeling good.”

The young second baseman is recovering from surgery on Feb. 12 to remove a broken hamate bone. He’s going on the injured list but could return within a few weeks.

“I think like every day is kind of something new,” he said of his camp activity. “So maybe tomorrow I think is flips and then kind of builds up. I can’t remember what they said, but I should be hitting BP within the next week or so. Pretty good.

“Hopefully I can maybe push them a little bit depending on how I’m feeling. We’ll just see. But take it day-by-day.”

Holliday will experiment with a different handle on the bat that offers more protection, saying he likes to “mess around with things.” But he reserves the right to change his mind.

“I feel like you always go back to what’s most comfortable, but if it can help me ease into a regular knob, I’m all for it,” he said. “If it’s something that works, like some of the best hitters in the game use it, I’m all for that, too.

“So if it’s something that’s really comfortable and seems to feel good in live at-bats and stuff, I might roll with it. But who knows? I seem to always kind of go back to what I’ve been swinging for a while now.”

The Orioles will decide whether to leave Holliday in Sarasota or take him to Baltimore for more rehabbing and workouts.

“Honestly, I haven’t really asked because I’m just trying to stay present and try to work as hard as I can,” he said. “I don’t really know the plan yet. But I mean, I would love to break camp or whatever that consists of, at least make it up there for Opening Day and at least be around, but I’m not 100 percent sure what the timeline is right now.”

Holliday never imaged that he’d become an authority on hamate bones until suffering the break during live batting practice in Sarasota prior to the report date.

“Yeah, I know something about the hamate,” he said. “I know they don’t really need it. So I might just tell all of my siblings and everyone I know to just take it out.”

*Jhonkensy Noel isn’t in either split-squad lineup today after being hit on the right thumb by a changeup yesterday and leaving the game in the ninth inning as a precaution. Noel said he feels good.

The pitch also caught part of the bat, which lessened the risk of injury.

Could he have stayed in the game if playing in the regular season?

“Oh yes, of course,” he said.

*Available pitchers today in Sarasota behind starter Cade Povich include Keegan Akin, Dietrich Enns, Grant Wolfram and Yaramil Hiraldo. Cameron Weston is listed behind Luis De León against the Braves in North Port.

*Tyler Wells makes his first start Sunday afternoon against the Blue Jays split-squad team in Sarasota. Wells has tossed five scoreless innings this spring with one hit allowed, no walks and eight strikeouts.

*Outfielder Vance Honeycutt isn’t an extra player in Sarasota or North Port.

Honeycutt, the first-round draft pick in 2024, is 5-for-5 with four home runs and a walk.

*Former Orioles catcher and taxi squad player David Bañuelos made today’s trip with the Twins, but Alex Jackson stayed back in Fort Myers.