The Baltimore Orioles Need to Instill All Of Their Trust In Samuel Basallo

When the Baltimore Orioles dealt catcher Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline earlier this year, it was deemed as controversial given the devotion Rutschman held closely to the franchise.

Rutschman was in his fifth season as the Orioles’ starting catcher and was a cornerstone of Baltimore’s core. The organization held strong trust in the 28-year-old who they had drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft. But suddenly, that trust now lies on the Orioles’ newest starting catcher of the future.

Samuel Basallo, a dynamically-skilled catcher who entered the year as the Orioles’ No. 1 prospect, now has a runway to be Baltimore’s starting catcher of the present and future. The 22-year-old played a key role in the core of the Orioles’ lineup this year, as he split time at catcher with Rutschman up until the trade.

Down the stretch of the season, Basallo struggled when the Orioles needed him most as they made a late push for a spot in the postseason, a run that fell short. In his last 30 games played of the season, Basallo had posted a .143 batting average. However, a right shoulder inflammation injury held him out for nearly a month of the season’s second half, potentially playing a role in those struggles.

Nonetheless, the Rutschman trade signified two things — the Orioles likely held minimal hope that the two sides could reach a contract agreement in the future, and that the team has enough trust in Basallo to take over the catching duties. 

Throughout his professional career, Basallo has always been an offense-first player. He plays a solid catcher, but the Orioles will also rely on him to play some designated hitter and occasional first base. However, one facet of his catching game could possibly use more improvement — game-calling.

Two Orioles’ starting pitchers had a higher ERA with Basallo behind the dish as compared to Rutschman in 2026 — Brandon Young and Shane Baz. Young’s differential was significant, as his ERA with Basallo hovered over six, while the differential with Baz was a smaller margin. However, Kyle Bradish did hold a better ERA with Basallo.

Ultimately, the Orioles took a risk they were willing to take when they traded Rutschman. But more importantly, they were inserting trust in Basallo’s abilities to continue improving and potentially elevate his game to be among one of the best catchers in the league. With his potential, that is something that Baltimore is awaiting with much confidence.