The Baltimore Orioles are one of the most exciting young teams in the big leagues and right at the forefront is Adley Rutschman. It's only a matter of time until the former first-overall pick overtakes JT Realmuto as the best catcher in baseball, too.
While it's only a year into Rutschman's big-league career, he's already put himself in very impressive company. Per Roch Kubatko, the rookie ranks third in the Majors in most walks behind only Juan Soto and Aaron Judge since his debut on May 21, 2022, with 97. For reference, Soto has 139 and Judge has 112.
Rutschman hit the ground running since coming up to the show. He hit .254 in 22′ with 13 homers and 42 RBI in 113 games before really breaking out this year. The 25-year-old is slashing .287, slugging six long balls, and driving in 22. The most impressive part? Rutschman leads the MLB with 25 free passes.
Adley Rutschman has phenomenal plate discipline and truly possesses an advanced approach offensively. He rarely chases offerings out of the zone and always waits for a good pitch to hit. It's also clear his impact is heavily felt by the O's.
Baltimore is 93-69 since he was promoted. While other pieces on this roster are undoubtedly important, Rutschman is perhaps the most crucial piece to their long-term success.
The Orioles are currently second in the heavily competitive American League East with a 26-14 record and truly look like they can compete with the best of the best. And if Adley Rutschman continues to be patient at the dish and consistently hit for average and power, Baltimore has every chance to make the postseason later this year.
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