The Baltimore Orioles selected catcher Adley Rutschman with the first overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, envisioning that he
The Baltimore Orioles selected catcher Adley Rutschman with the first overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, envisioning that he would become a perennial All-Star selection. Now, questions are being raised about the star catcher’s future in Baltimore.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently wrote about why Rutschman’s future with Baltimore could now be in question. While sources close to the organization said the use of their top draft picks wasn’t a reflection on any lack of confidence in Rutschman, there are still lingering doubts.
“Rutschman’s long-term future in Baltimore is not as certain as it once appeared. He is under club control for only two more seasons. The Orioles’ interest in signing him to an extension might be waning. Their top prospect, Samuel Basallo, also is a catcher.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal on Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman
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- Adley Rutschman stats 2025: .227/.319/.372, 8 home runs, 20 RBI, .691 OPS, 96 OPS+ in 242 at-bats
In the 2025 MLB Draft, Baltimore used its first two picks on catchers. The Orioles selected Auburn’s Ike Irish with the 19th overall pick, signing him for $4.418 million. A few selections later, the team took Coastal Carolina catcher Caden Bodine with the 30th overall pick, signing him for $3.113 million.
However, there is some context required with the selection of Irish. While he was announced as a catcher, Baltimore believes he could transition to the corner outfield and first base. In his final season with the Auburn Tigers, he split time between right field, designated hitter, and catcher.
- Adley Rutschman contract (Spotrac): $5.5 million salary (2025), arbitration eligible (2026), arbitration-eligible (2027), free agent after 2027 season
Even with that caveat, the selections mean that three of the Orioles top prospects are now catchers. That includes Samuel Basallo, rated by MLB Pipeline as the ninth-best prospect in baseball. This season, Basallo has a .974 OPS with 19 home runs and 48 RBI in 208 at-bats with Triple-A Norfolk.
Rutschman’s offensive production has also dipped in recent years. After posting a .268/.369/.439 triple-slash line with an .808 OPS, 122 RBI, and a 187-157 K-BB ratio in his first two seasons (986 at-bats), he’s delivered below-average run production ever since.
In the last two years, Rutschman has a .244/.318/.385 line with a .703 OPS and a 148-90 K-BB ratio in 813 at-bats. Over that span, he ranks 14th in OPS (.703) among catchers with 600-plus plate appearances.
The Orioles are certainly hopeful that Rutschman turns it around at the plate when he comes off the injured list, but the organization has already fallen well short of expectations this season. At the very least, there now seems to be some doubt around the league about Rutschman’s future in Baltimore.
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