Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo has been in the major leagues for less than a week, but the team already likes what it sees from the young star. Basallo reportedly agreed to an eight-year, $67 million extension with the club Friday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The deal — which goes into effect next season — can max out at $88.5 million based on incentives, and is the largest pre-arbitration extension ever given to a catcher, per Passan.
The contract also reportedly contains a club option.
The move comes just days after Basallo, 21, made his major-league debut. The young catcher entered the 2025 MLB season as a consensus top-15 prospect, but the Orioles opted to wait until late August to call him up to the majors.
Basallo has acquitted himself well since his call-up, and is hitting .300 in his first 11 plate appearances. Prior to his promotion, Basallo hit .270/.377/.589 over 321 plate appearances at Triple-A in 2025.
The reported extension seems to suggest the Orioles view Basallo as their catcher of the future. That could put former top prospect Adley Rutschman in a tough spot once he’s ready to return from an oblique injury.
Rutschman, once considered the top overall prospect in the game, got off to a tremendous start early in his career. During his first two years in the majors, Rutschman slashed .268/.369/.439. But injuries have limited Rutschman’s effectiveness over the last two seasons, where he’s posted a .242/.315/.385 slash line.
Rutschman, who has battled oblique injuries all season, was placed on the injured list on Thursday due to yet another oblique strain. The move puts Rutschman’s 2025 season in jeopardy and opens the door for Basallo to serve as the team’s primary catcher down the stretch. While the Orioles aren’t playing for a spot in the postseason, Basallo now has multiple weeks to prove he deserves a starting spot on the team’s roster next season.
Basallo’s promotion and extension don’t necessarily mean the team has soured on Rutschman. The Orioles could rotate both players next season, or use one as their primary DH and the other as their starting catcher.
But if Basallo produces during his 2025 audition, the Orioles could have some interesting roster decisions to make in the offseason.
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