Adley Rutschman has three more seasons before he reaches free agency, but the Baltimore Orioles need to extend him sooner rather than later. Orioles’ fans have been pleading with the front office to extend the two-time All-Star since he made his major league debut nearly three years ago. But after losing Anthony Santander to Toronto in free agency after eight years in Baltimore, the Orioles cannot put off extending Adley Rutschman any longer.
Ensuring the Future: Orioles Need to Hold Onto Star Catcher
Rutschman instantly became the face of the Orioles rebuild when he was drafted first overall in the 2019 MLB Draft. He was the first of three consecutive Orioles players to be named baseball’s top prospect and debuted three years later. Arguably the best catcher in baseball, Rutschman already has two All-Star selections and a Silver Slugger after just three seasons. Finding a franchise catcher is rare, which is a big reason why catchers like Yadier Molina, Buster Posey, and Salvador Pérez have only played for one team. Baltimore drafted Rutschman to be their franchise catcher, and the time to lock him into a long-term deal is now.
Going into his age-27 season, Rutschman has a career .261/.351/.421 line. He’s hit 52 home runs and a 13.1 WAR in 415 games. He struggled after the All-Star break hitting just .207/.282/.303 with three home runs which could explain Baltimore’s hesitation. Still, he managed to finish the season batting .250/.318/.391 with 19 home runs and a 3.4 WAR.
Orioles Star Catcher Adley Rutschman Due for Contract Extension
A Gold Glove finalist in 2023, Rutschman has been one of the best defensive catchers since making his MLB debut. He finished fifth in blocks above average last season and draws strong marks for caught stealing, framing, and pop time. Rutschman caught 882 ⅓ innings last season, which took a toll as he batted .231/.299/.351 as a catcher. The soon-to-be 27-year-old fared slightly better as Baltimore’s designated hitter last year, batting .298/.366/.488 over 45 games.
Even with top prospect Samuel Basallo working his way up the farm system, Rutschman will remain the Orioles’ everyday backstop. Basallo’s eventual arrival will simply give his legs a break and not force him to catch 100 games a season. Switch-hitting catchers who can hit like Rutschman are rare, so he still adds value from both sides of the plate.
Predicting a catcher’s value is tough given the nature of the position, but Rutschman would probably receive something slightly higher than Posey’s nine-year, $167 million extension in 2013. He will receive $5.5 million for 2025 with three arbitration-eligible years remaining, but his price will start increasing significantly. Rutschman helped turn the Orioles around, which alone is worth the money, but the Oregon native is a generational talent. Baltimore should consider buying out his arbitration years and extending him into his 30s, ensuring that their franchise catcher remains their franchise catcher for years to come.
Main Photo Credits: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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