Since the 2019 MLB Draft, the Baltimore Orioles have easily had the most exciting collection of talent in the minor leagues, proof by having the top-ranked prospect for three years straight and the top farm system for four consecutive years.
Players such as Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser, Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday, as well as others traded; Kyle Stowers, Connor Norby and Joey Ortiz, have all become productive players and are just a few of the talent who came through the O’s minor league system.
The one thing that has been a continuous manner with these former prospects is that when they were ready, they were making their big league debuts ahead of schedule.
Henderson and Holliday were both 20 when they made their debuts, as they chose to forgo college and make professional baseball their career. They excelled through the minor leagues, both becoming the top overall prospects and making their debuts earlier than predicted.
Now, the Orioles are in a new position with another high-profile prospect, one that could force a decision on other players. That prospect is Orioles No. 1 and MLB’s No. 15 overall, Samuel Basallo. The 20-year-old, 6-foot-4, left-handed phenom catches but also plays first base.
Considered a strong hitter with the ability to drive the ball to all fields, Basallo has good control of the strike zone. Basallo has a simple set-up that allows him to utilize his quick hands to hit the ball hard and create high exit velocities.
The area that might be holding Basallo back is his defense, even though he moves quickly for his size. He has good hands and a canon for an arm, but his blocking and receiving are said to need improvement.
One way the Orioles are working on getting Basallo to remain in Triple-A Norfolk’s lineup, due to his bat, is working him out at first base, something many scouts originally thought could happen down the line.
A lot around Birdland envisioned a backstop rotation that would have Rutschman and Basallo alternate between catching and filling the DH position in the lineup. This raises some questions about the path forward.
When healthy, Ryan Mountcastle and Ryan O’Hearn currently are the platoon at first. Coby Mayo has learned to play first base in order to help his path to the big leagues as well.
With Mountcastle hitting the IL numerous times in the past three seasons and O’Hearn entering free agency, could one or both be traded to make a pathway for Basallo and Mayo?
It raises an interesting question but also would allow Basallo to rotate between catcher, first base and DH, keeping all three positions rested.
What about the catcher position? Rutschman has struggled to get going offensively since the middle of last season. As loved as he is in Baltimore, he is approaching his arbitration years and could find himself being second-guessed as the focal point of the rebuild and being replaced by Basallo.
With Gary Sánchez and Adley Rutschman both spending time on the IL, many expected Basallo to get an opportunity to experience some big league play. That went to Maverick Handley, who went on the IL after Rutschman. Once again, Basallo was expected to get his chance, only to be passed over by Chadwick Tromp.
Basallo is slashing .264/.390/.579/.969 across 54 games this season, all at the Triple-A level. He has 47 hits, including eight doubles and 16 home runs, while driving in 37 runs.
On the defensive side, he does have three errors while catching, but no passed balls in 19 games. At first, he has committed no errors in 14 games and has turned six double plays.
As if the Orioles were trying to make a statement, they recently signed former Gold-Glove-winning catcher Jacob Stallings, making the stand that Basallo is not part of the plans for the near future.
Whether that is to manipulate service time or to give the young catcher reps behind the plate, the obstacles to give the young star a chance to make the big leagues seem to stretch further than just because there are players ahead of him at positions he plays.
Something to think about as well is that Basallo has missed time due to injuries on three separate occasions dating back to last season. With the injuries, Basallo has only played 29 games at the catching position and 17 at first base in Triple-A ball.
With 70 games with the Norfolk Tides, Basallo has played just 46 games in the field at the highest level of minor league ball.
What do you think about this situation? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
Represent The Baltimore Battery and show off your fandom with our official merchandise! Reasonably-priced attire made just for you! Visit our official shop site by clicking here!
Like Stephen’s content? Follow him on X – @SRJHeckman, and listen to the official podcast of The Baltimore Battery, The Final Strike, anywhere you get your podcasts!
THE BALTIMORE BATTERY 
Leave a comment