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August 22, 2025
Samuel Basallo: Samuel Basallo has barely had a week in the big leagues. Yet the Baltimore Orioles already see enough to commit long-term. The young catcher has reached an eight-year deal worth $67 million, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The contract kicks in next season and could climb to $88.5 million with incentives. It also marks the richest pre-arbitration extension ever given to a catcher.
Reports say the contract includes a club option. The timing is notable, as Basallo is only days removed from making his major league debut at age 21.
He opened the 2025 season as a consensus top-15 prospect. Still, Baltimore waited until late August before bringing him to the big leagues.
Basallo has looked sharp since joining the Orioles. He’s hitting .286 across his first 15 plate appearances.
At Triple-A earlier this year, he logged a .270 average with a .377 on-base percentage and a .589 slugging mark over 321 trips to the plate.
The new extension makes it clear the Orioles see him as their long-term answer behind the plate. That could complicate things for Adley Rutschman once he’s healthy enough to return from his oblique injury.
Adley Rutschman entered the league as baseball’s top prospect. His first two seasons backed up the hype, as he hit .268 with a .369 on-base percentage and a .439 slugging percentage.
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The momentum didn’t last. Injuries cut into his production, and over the last two years he has managed just a .242/.315/.385 line.
Rutschman has been battling oblique problems all season. Another strain sent him to the injured list on Thursday.
The setback leaves his 2025 season in question and gives Basallo a clear path to step in as the everyday catcher.
The Orioles may be out of the playoff race, but Basallo now has a valuable window to prove he’s ready for a starting role next season.
Basallo’s rise doesn’t mean the Orioles are moving on from Rutschman. The club could find ways to use both, with one behind the plate and the other as the designated hitter.
But if Basallo delivers during his 2025 audition, the front office may be forced to make some difficult offseason decisions.
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