Samuel Basallo Could Return To DH Duties Later In April
Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo (elbow/hamstring) is expected to return to DH duties later in April and could return to catching in May. The top catching prospect in the sport is dealing with a mild left hamstring and right elbow inflammation. The 20-year-old was placed on the 7-day injured list after the first seven games of the Triple-A regular season. During the opening week, Basallo held a .250/.318/.550 slash line with two round-trippers. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression as he could push for an MLB debut later in the summer. Last season, Basallo spent most of the campaign with Double-A before earning a brief taste of Triple-A. In 106 games with Double-A Bowie, Basallo posted a strong .289/.355/.465 line. He remains a high-end asset in all dynasty formats.
Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo (hamstring) was removed from Friday's Triple-A contest due to left hamstring discomfort. Fantasy managers should monitor his status as he dealt with a lingering elbow injury during camp. His elbow injury has prevented him from seeing time behind the dish during the opening week of the Triple-A regular season and kept him in a strict designated hitter role. With this hamstring injury, Basallo may have to miss a period of time. Through his first seven games of the Triple-A regular season, Basallo posted a .250/.318/.550 slash line with five total hits and two round-trippers. Last season, the 20-year-old spent time with both Double-A and Triple-A. Across 126 games split between both levels, the top catching prospect posted a .276/.339/.447 line. If he continues to produce with Norfolk, he should be in the mix for a second-half MLB debut.
Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo went 2-for-4 with a home run during their victory over the Charlotte Knights on Thursday evening. Basallo hit a two-run shot in the sixth frame, which also scored outfielder Dylan Beavers. This was Basallo's second long ball of the Triple-A regular season and first multi-hit outing of the campaign. Through his first six games of the season, Basallo has held a modest .211/.286/.526 slash line with a 2:4 BB:K. The backstop has been exclusively deployed as a designated hitter as he works his way back from elbow inflammation. While he has not been as productive early on, this two-hit performance could spark a turnaround. Last summer, Basallo held a .276/.339/.447 line split between Double-A and Triple-A. The 20-year-old is considered one of the top prospects in the sport and should be in the mix for a second-half MLB debut.
Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo (elbow) is dealing with elbow inflammation and is expected to only serve as a designated hitter during the first weeks of the season at Triple-A. Basallo is considered one of the best-hitting prospects in the sport. During spring training, the 20-year-old went deep twice and held a .226/.284/.484 slash line. Last season, Basallo opened the season by receiving his first full look at Double-A. Across 106 contests, the backstop posted an impressive .289/.355/.465 slash line with 22 doubles and 16 home runs. He was then promoted to Triple-A Norfolk, where he held a lower .222/.267/.370 line across 21 contests. Basallo went deep three times during this stint but held a poor 5:27 BB:K. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression at Triple-A as he should contend for an MLB debut later this summer.
Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo has gone 3-for-10 with a home run and two RBI during his first taste of spring training. He has tallied two RBI and only struck out three times. Basallo is considered not only the top prospect in the Baltimore system but also one of the best in baseball. Last season, he received his first full look at Double-A and posted an excellent .289/.355/.465 slash line with 22 doubles and 16 home runs. He held a 41:85 BB:K ratio and swiped nine bags. This performance earned him a taste of Triple-A where he took a step back as he held a .222/.267/.370 line across 22 contests. At Norfolk, he held a 5:27 BB:K ratio with just three long balls. However, given his progression at spring training, he could be poised to bounce-back at Triple-A in 2025. If he can perform well at this level early in the season, he should push for his MLB debut later this summer.
Samuel Basallo Blasts His First Home Run Of The Spring
Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo hit his first home run of the spring on Thursday in an 11-8 Grapefruit League win over the Blue Jays. The solo blast was a crushed, clearing the scoreboard in center field. He's now 2-for-4 in three spring appearances, but perhaps more notable was that he came off the bench and entered the game defensively at first base, not at catcher. Adley Rutschman is entrenched as Baltimore's starting catcher and the team signed veteran Gary Sanchez in the offseason as the backup, so Basallo's path to playing time is blocked there for now, but his ability to play first base gives the Orioles added lineup flexibility which could get him to the majors sooner rather than later. With a strong spring, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Orioles' top prospect (MLB No. 13) in the majors in 2025, although barring an injury, it won't be an early season call-up. As such, there's no reason to target the left-handed hitter in fantasy drafts unless you're in a deep league with bench space to stash the Dominican.
The Baltimore Orioles announced on Thursday that catching prospect Samuel Basallo will be a non-roster invite at major-league spring training this year. Per MLB Pipeline, Basallo is the No. 13 prospect in all of baseball for the 2025 season. In addition to Basallo, outfield prospects Enrique Bradfield and Dylan Beavers will be at spring training. If Basallo, 20, sticks with the O's long term, he's likely going to have to move to first base or designated hitter with Adley Rutschman blocking him at catcher. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Dominican backstop is considered the top catching prospect in all of baseball. He slashed .278/.341/.449 with a .790 OPS, 19 homers, 65 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 127 games for Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk in 2024. The left-handed hitter has power to all fields and limits his strikeouts. Basallo is projected to make his MLB debut at some point later this year.
Baltimore Not Considering A Trade For Samuel Basallo
According to Roch Kubatko of MASNSports, the Baltimore Orioles are not considering a trade for their top-catching prospect, Samuel Basallo. Basallo was recently tabbed as the sport's top-catching prospect on MLB Pipeline and is one of the budding stars in the Baltimore system. However, the Orioles already have a franchise backstop in Adley Rutschman but still view Basallo as untouchable. Last summer, the 20-year-old spent most of the season with Double-A Bowie and held a .289/.355/.465 line with 22 doubles and 16 home runs. He then earned a late-season promotion to Triple-A, where he took a slight step back with a .222/.267/.370 line. Across these 21 games, he hit just three home runs. However, Basallo has begun to see starts at first base and will likely spend most of his time there when he reaches the major leagues. He should have a good opportunity to debut later this summer.
MLB Pipeline Names Samuel Basallo Top Catching Prospect Entering 2025
MLB Pipeline has tabbed Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Samuel Basallo the best at his position entering the 2025 season. The 20-year-old received his first extended look at Double-A ball last summer and performed at an elite level, posting a .289/.355/.465 line. He hit 22 doubles, 16 home runs, and swiped nine bags. He then earned a late-season promotion to Triple-A Norfolk, holding a modest .222/.267/.370 line across a short 21-game stint. In 2023, he spent most of the summer in the lower levels of the Baltimore pipeline and posted a stellar .313/.402/.551 line. Even though Adley Rutschman blocks Basallo from catching duties, he could still have a path to a 2025 debut, as he did see several starts at first base last summer. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his development during spring training and through the early part of the season, as he will likely open the regular season at Triple-A. A second-half promotion is not out of the question if he performs well with the Norfolk Tide. He is a top asset in dynasty formats but is not worth drafting in standard redraft leagues for the time being.
Baltimore Orioles catching/first base prospect Samuel Basallo launched his first home run at Triple-A on Thursday evening. Since joining Triple-A Norfolk, the top prospect has tallied only two hits across his first 14 at-bats and holds a 1:7 BB:K ratio. Earlier this summer at Double-A Bowie, the 20-year-old posted a stellar .289/.355/.465 line with 16 home runs, 55 RBI, and 22 doubles. Since making his Single-A debut in 2023, the backstop has progressed through the minor leagues very quickly and should have a good chance of reaching the majors next season. MLB.com ranks Basallo as the No.2 best prospect in Baltimore and the 10th best in the sport.
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