From the Boy, That Escalated Quickly Department: the Baltimore Orioles are reportedly finalizing a long-term deal with top prospect Samuel Basallo, who was just called up to the big leagues for the first time five days ago.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the deal would go for eight years with $67 million guaranteed, with incentives that can push the total value to $88.5 million.
ICYMI
In essence, the O’s front office is overpaying Basallo, who is just 21, for the first three years of his career, and getting a deal on, at the least, the final two years – a player can become a free agent after six years of service time.
Basallo was widely viewed as the best hitting prospect in the minors in 2025, slashing .270/.377/.589 with 23 homers and 40 extra-base hits in 321 plate appearances, and a .966 OPS, at Triple-A Norfolk, while splitting time at catcher, first base and DH.
Where he fits into the plans going forward should make for one of the bigger storylines in the offseason for the O’s and general manager Mike Elias.
Adley Rutschman, the #1 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, was considered a franchise cornerstone from the moment he was called up in 2022, but Rutschman, who is in Year 4 of his six years of team control, and is playing this year on a one-year, $5.5 million contract, has taken a big step back in 2025, slashing .227/.310/.374 with nine homers and 26 extra-base hits in 348 plate appearances, a .684 OPS and 1.7 wins above replacement.
Rutschman’s best year, to this point, was his first, when, in 113 games after a May callup, he slashed .254/.362/.445, with 13 homers and 49 extra-base hits in 470 plate appearances, an .806 OPS and 5.4 wins above replacement.
Ideally, a healthy Rutschman – he’s missed 42 games this season – and Basallo could split time at catcher, with the guy not catching that day serving as the DH.
Basallo also brings the flexibility of being able to play at first, though, then, what do you do with Ryan Mountcastle and Coby Mayo – and don’t say, move one or the other to the outfield, which is crowded with the likes of Colton Cowser, Tyler O’Neill and recent rookie call-up Dylan Beavers.
Elias can and probably will be turning some of the excess everyday lineup talent into assets that he can flip to bolster his starting rotation and pitching staff, which has been looking good of late, with the emergence of Trevor Rogers (6-2, 1.41 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 4.3 WAR in 12 starts in 2025) and Dean Kremer (9-9, 3.97 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 2.1 WAR in 24 starts in 2025).
With those two, and getting Grayson Rodriguez (13-4, 3.86 ERA, .124 WHIP, 1.4 WAR in 20 starts in 2024) back healthy in 2026, there’s the basis for a strong top of the rotation.
Add two more starters via the trade or free-agent routes and some bullpen depth, and 2026 could be a turnaround year in Charm City.
Starting with this move to tie up Basallo long-term.
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Chris Graham
