Samuel Basallo signs 8-year, $67 million contract with Orioles

It's been less than a week since Samuel Basallo was finally recalled to Major League Baseball by the Baltimore Orioles, and the catcher has done well since his recall, batting for a .300 batting average in his first eleven plate appearances.

Prior to his promotion, Basallo posted a .270 batting average in 321 plate appearances at the Triple-A level in 2025, along with a .966 OPS and 23 long balls.

And it seems that the Maryland club already likes what it sees from its young star, since now, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Basallo has agreed to an eight-year, $67 million contract extension with the club this morning (Friday).

Samuel Basallo's deal with the Orioles, once completed, will begin next season and includes a club option as well. It can max out at $88.5 million and is the largest pre-arbitration extension for a catcher.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 22, 2025

The deal, which takes effect next season, is worth up to $88.5 million on an incentive basis, and is the largest pre-arbitration contract extension ever given to a catcher. The contract would also contain a team option.

The young catcher entered the 2025 MLB campaign as a top-15 prospect, but the Orioles chose to wait until the end of August to proceed with his recall to the Majors, which remains a mystery, especially considering all the trouble they've had at the number-two position this season.

With Adley Rutschman on the injured list with an oblique injury, Basallo will be able to operate as the O's number one catcher for the immediate future, although the rookie is also likely to see plenty of playing time at designated hitter as well, due to his precarious defense.

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