Elite MLB Prospect Samuel Basallo, Orioles Reportedly Agree to 8-Year, $67M Contract

Five days after making his MLB debut, Samuel Basallo has reportedly signed a long-term contract extension with the Baltimore Orioles.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, Basallo and the Orioles have agreed to a eight-year, $67 million deal that can max out $88.5 million. Passan reported the deal includes a $5 million signing bonus.

Passan noted the contract will kick in starting with the 2026 season, contains a team option year for 2034 and marks the largest pre-arbitration extension ever given to a catcher.

The Orioles originally signed Basallo as an international free agent in January 2021 when he was 16 years old. He quickly made a name for himself with their A-ball club in Delmarva during the 2023 season, winning MVP of the Carolina League after hitting .299/.384/.503 in 83 games.

Basallo was called up for his MLB debut on Aug. 17, when he started at catcher and hit sixth for the Orioles in a 12-0 win over the Houston Astros. The 21-year-old recorded his first big-league hit and drove in two runs in the game.

MLB.com has Basallo ranked as the best catching prospect and No. 8 overall player in the minors. The scouting report notes his defense behind the plate is still a work-in progress, but he has a "cannon for an arm" and "the ability to drive the ball with considerable power to all fields."

There's some debate among scouts about whether or not Basallo will stay at catcher long-term, but his offensive potential is more than enough to make him an above-average regular if he has to move to first base.

Basallo's arrival, along with a new contract, will lead to more questions about Adley Rutschman's future in Baltimore. Rutschman is under team control through the 2027 season, but his production has been trending in the wrong direction.

Rutschman's OPS+ has decreased every season since his breakout rookie year in 2022. He is on pace to set career-lows in batting average (.227), on-base percentage (.310) and slugging percentage (.373) this season.

Per FanGraphs' defensive value, Rutschman ranks 14th out of 30 players with at least 500 innings at catcher in 2025.

Trading Rutschman in the offseason would be selling low for a 27-year-old catcher with two All-Star appearances, but keeping him could also stall Basallo's development at the position.

While those are decisions for general manager Mike Elias to figure out in the offseason, the Orioles have left no doubt they believe Basallo is going to be a key piece of their future by making a significant financial investment in him just three games into his MLB career.