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Samuel Basallo agrees contract extension with Orioles

sportsAug 22, 202615147

The Baltimore Orioles signed 21-year-old catcher Samuel Basallo to an eight-year extension through the 2033 season with a team option for 2034, a $67 million guarantee that can escalate to $88.5 million with awards and playing-time bonuses and includes a $5 million signing bonus. The deal, the first long-term extension of the Mike Elias era, is the largest pre-arbitration contract for a catcher and ranks fourth in Orioles history behind Chris Davis, Adam Jones, and Miguel Tejada. Basallo made his MLB debut five days before the signing, and in four games he is 4-for-14 (.286) with one double, five RBIs and one run scored, including a two-run single in his debut and an 11th-inning RBI groundout that drove in the winner at Fenway. Baltimore recalled Basallo to rotate between catcher, designated hitter and first base, but with Adley Rutschman on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain Basallo will be the Orioles' primary catcher moving forward. The club called Basallo its No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 8 overall, and Elias, owner David Rubenstein and interim manager Tony Mansolino highlighted Basallo as a product of the organization's new Latin America program and a key piece of the team's future. The contract includes escalators tied to awards and catcher playing time that could raise the total to $88.5 million, signaling the Orioles' commitment to Basallo as a long-term centerpiece.

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