Breaking: Orioles Superstar Falls from Top Spot in Professional…
Expectations have been sky-high for Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman from the moment his name was announced as the No. 1 pick in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Oregon State.
He excelled at every stop in the minor leagues and hasn’t stopped producing since making his Major League debut on May 21, 2022, against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Rutschman quickly cemented his status as the top catcher in baseball, providing the Orioles with an organizational building block behind the plate. His well-rounded skill set has translated incredibly well, as he produces in every facet of the game.
In his career, he has recorded a slash line of .261/.351/.421 with 52 home runs and 201 RBI. He has an above-average walk rate and strikes out well below the league average.
Rutschman controls the game defensively as well, lauded for his ability to control the pitching staff and his leadership.
Given how well he has performed, it should come as no surprise that he has been ranked the No. 1 player at his position by Buster Olney of ESPN for years.
Alas, his streak atop the catching power rankings has come to an end heading into 2025.
Taking over the top spot is William Contreras of the Milwaukee Brewers, as the Baltimore star comes in at No. 2 on the list.
The sole reason Rutschman dropped from the No. 1 spot is how much he struggled in the second half of the 2024 campaign. His performance dropped off a cliff, as he recorded a slash line of .189/.279/.280 over the final 71 games.
A rival evaluator noted he was struggling to adjust to pitches up in the zone and opponents took full advantage.
His defensive performance took a step back as well, as the Orioles followed their young star stalling out.
Is that second half a sign of things to come, or will he figure it out and get back on track in 2025?
Many are expecting a bounce back.
“He’s just too talented to not rebound,” one executive said to Olney. “You assume he’ll make adjustments. The way the team is, they need him to get back to being a force near the top of the lineup.”
Despite the brutal second half that he endured, his season-long OPS+ of 107 was still above average. It speaks volumes of how well he performed in the first half that the sub-.200 batting average for nearly half the season wasn’t enough to knock his OPS+ below average.
Even the best players go through slumps and Rutschman went through an extended one last year. Given his track record before that point, it would be shocking if he doesn’t figure things out and return to form in 2025.
