Adley Rutschman

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #1 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: The Orioles were made to wait longer than expected to see the 2019 No. 1 overall pick tear through the minors the way a generational amateur talent is expected. A College World Series champion and Most Outstanding Player for Oregon State in 2018 and the BA College Player of the Year in 2019, Rutschman got a late start to his 2019 pro debut due to illness, then spent the summer of 2020 at the Orioles’ alternate training site refining his swing and beginning to build rapport with some of the top pitching prospects in the organization. His delayed first full season, however, could not have gone better. Beginning at Double-A Bowie, Rutschman was the top prospect in Double-A Northeast and appeared in the Futures Game before ending his season with Triple-A Norfolk. He hit .285/.397/.502 with 23 home runs and a 79-to-90 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 123 games. He led all minor league catchers with 543 plate appearances.
  
  Scouting Report: Rutschman’s calling card at the plate is his elite plate discipline, with his 14.5% walk rate the best in the organization and in the top 10% of all qualified hitters in the high minors. He paced the Orioles’ internal swing decision metrics and rarely swings and misses, with a 6.7% whiff rate. His uncanny understanding of the strike zone means his already-modest strikeout numbers could fall as he advances to the majors and higher quality umpires. When pitchers do come into his zone, Rutschman can do damage. In the midst of his one rough stretch of the season, he and the Orioles identified an issue with his load and landed on a change that allows him to let the ball travel deeper. In doing so, he was able to drive the ball more consistently by staying on plane with the pitch, all without sacrificing power or contact to do so. His line drive rate was 17.2% at Bowie, but with the changes taking hold, that rate jumped to 26.6% the last two months at Triple-A. The adjustment helps Rutschman better tap into his potentially elite power while elevating his average when he’s staying in the ballpark. Defensively, Rutschman made strides calling games and built on his strength of developing relationships with pitchers, who raved about working with him. He’s already an advanced receiver and his strong arm helped him cut down 27% of basestealers. While his skill set is major league-ready, coaches and teammates appreciate how tirelessly Rutschman works to improve and shows genuine efforts for helping them do the same.
  
  The Future: The composite of all of Rutschman’s skills makes for a player who looks like he can be an above-average major leaguer in 2022. A forecast of multiple all-star appearances and consideration for MVP honors isn’t far-fetched. Rutschman will be the cornerstone of the Orioles’ planned turnaround, and his success in Triple-A means there’s not much left for him to accomplish there. If he’s not on the Opening Day roster, it won’t be long before he’s suiting up behind the plate at Camden Yards.
  
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #1 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 70. Power: 70. Run: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 70
  Track Record: Rutschman was a generational talent in college at Oregon State, leading the Beavers to the College World Series title as a sophomore in 2018 and winning the Golden Spikes Award in 2019. The Orioles made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft and signed him to a then-record $8.1 million bonus. Rutschman climbed from the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League through the short-season New York-Penn League to help low Class A Delmarva on its playoff run in 2019. Rutschman gained valuable experience in major league spring training before spending the summer dominating the team’s alternate site at Bowie, Md.
  
  Scouting Report: The switch-hitting Rutschman rebuilt his swing in college to gear for more power and consistency. He continues to find ways to refine and make his swing more efficient as he learns the professional game. He went through an adjustment period at the Bowie camp after the coronavirus shutdown period halted most of his work, but he quickly revealed the all-fields power and consistent hard contact that give him potential to be a plus-plus hitter with plus-plus power at his peak. He ended the summer as the best performer at the camp. His offensive production is aided by advanced plate discipline. Rutschman is clear in which pitches he’s able to drive and which he should lay off. He’ll likely see increased benefit from that when pitchers are around the strike zone more and umpires improve at the higher levels of the minors. Rutschman’s above-average pop times and advanced receiving skills behind the plate give him the physical tools to be a plus major league catcher. His work at the Bowie camp helped him gain experience calling pitches to an advanced pitcher’s plan and gave him invaluable insight into how pitchers and fellow catchers with major league experience see the game. All those tools are enhanced by a reputation as a fantastic teammate and tireless worker who elevates both himself and everyone around him with his approach to the game.
  
  The Future: Rutschman is the game’s best catching prospect and one of the most exciting minor leaguers in all of baseball. The Orioles envision a generational offensive producer at his peak, standout defense behind the plate and multiple all-star nods. Rutschman’s path to Baltimore may have been slowed by the lack of a 2020 minor league season, but if he starts in Double-A next spring, he could push for a major league debut at the end of 2021, or else be up early in 2022.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #1 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: A celebrated recruit who won Oregon high school state player of the year in 2016, Rutschman accomplished everything there was to do in college at Oregon State. He led the Beavers to the College World Series title and won CWS Most Outstanding Player in 2018, led USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team in nearly every offensive category the following summer and entered 2019 as the consensus top draft prospect in the class. He lived up to it by hitting .411 with a nation-leading .575 on-base percentage and won the BA College Player of the Year Award. The Orioles drafted him No. 1 overall and signed him for a draft-record $8.1 million. A case of mononucleosis after he signed delayed Rutschman's pro debut nearly a month, but he still climbed three levels after signing and wowed teammates and coaches at each stop, finishing with low Class A Delmarva for its playoff run.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite Rutschman's reputation as a tireless worker, there are no apparent holes in his game. Defensively, he's a pitcher's dream in terms of his advanced framing and above-average pop times on throws to second base. He called some of his own games as an amateur and took well to game-calling once he signed. At the plate, the switch-hitting Rutschman shows a swing tooled for both average and power, with a consistent path from both sides geared towards line drives and hard contact. His future outlook as a plus hitter with plus in-game power will be aided by his standout approach, one honed as opposing teams pitched around him his last year in college. Rutschman showed a similarly sharp eye in his pro debut, to the point his coaches began using his at-bats as an example to his new teammates. That's not to say Rutschman often singles himself out. Instead, he's touted as a tremendous teammate who will put his own goals behind the team's, and he has spoken about how the turnaround in the Orioles' minors suits him in terms of his pursuit of winning.
  
  THE FUTURE: A potential perennial all-star catcher with a middle-of-the-order bat landed on the Orioles' doorstep thanks to their dreadful 115-loss season in 2018. Already, Rutschman has become the face of the club's rebuild. The Orioles figure to start him at high Class A Frederick with an eye toward Double-A Bowie at midseason, which could put him on track for a 2021 debut in Baltimore.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #1 prospect in 2019 draft
  After leading Oregon State to a College World Series title as a sophomore, Rutschman entered the 2019 draft season as the consensus top player, and the Beavers' backstop has done nothing but cement himself in that spot over the past year. Oregon State's leading hitter during the 2018 College World Series, Rutschman then joined USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team in the summer, when he led all hitters in each triple slash category, hitting .355/.432/.516. This spring, Rutschman has taken another step forward offensively, doubly impressive when you consider he hit .408/.505/.628 with nine home runs as a sophomore in 2018. This season, he's tapped into more of his plus raw power while also significantly boosting his walk rate. Opposing pitchers have often pitched around Rutschman this season, although the 6-foot-2, 216-pound backstop rarely expands the zone and has consistently kept his strikeout rate near 14 percent over his three seasons in the Pac-12. Rutschman has plus power from both sides of the plate, with his righthanded stroke just a bit shorter than his swing from the left side. He makes adjustments well at the plate, and while his 2017 summer in the Cape Cod League wasn't ideal (.164/.282/.179 in 20 games), scouts have seen him do enough damage with Team USA to remain more than confident in his ability with a wood bat. Overall, Rutschman projects as a future .300 hitter. Defensively, Rutschman has all the tools to be a plus defender at the position. He has a strong arm, impressive receiving and blocking ability and excellent footwork on throws to second base, with a quick exchange from his glove to his release. Some scouts would like to have seen Rutschman throw more frequently this spring, but teams have run against him infrequently--and for good reason. Like most catchers, speed is Rutschman's weakest tool and the only tool that doesn't project as plus, but that's hardly a concern moving forward. Most scouts believe Rutschman has a chance to be an All-Star-level player in the majors as an impact bat in the middle of the order while also bringing plenty of defensive value. With excellent makeup and plenty of natural leadership traits, Rutschman has all the intangibles teams like to see from their backstops. He is the best catching prospect since Buster Posey in 2008 and Matt Wieters in 2007.
• Ranked #241 prospect in 2016 draft
  A physical Oregon State commit, Rutschman had attracted interest for both his arm and bat--and his legs. He kicked a 63-yard field goal as a prep kicker in the fall, which would tie for the longest in NFL history. A catcher/first baseman in baseball, Rutschman stands out in the Pacific Northwest for his raw power potential. He's a switch-hitter with strength from both sides of the plate and some bat speed, capable of launching tape-measure shots. Rutschman's approach is raw as is his defense behind the plate and his pitching, though he's touched 94 mph in one-inning bursts. He has flashed a two-plane breaking ball at times as well. The state player of the year in Oregon, he was pitched around on a modest team this spring, hitting just three home runs.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #2 prospect in 2021
  Double-A managers showered Rutschman with superlatives in Best Tools balloting, and he showed the same qualities upon his arrival at Triple-A with Norfolk. Rutschman pairs easy plus power from both sides of the plate with an advanced, patient approach. He walked nearly as frequently as he struck out, and his chase rate at Triple-A was among the lowest of any prospect to make this list. Rutschman’s plate discipline allows him to hunt mistakes, and his swing is geared to crush them. If there was anything to quibble with—and one truly has to nitpick in this case—it’s that Rutschman’s swing is more lofted from the left side, and Triple-A pitchers had some early success attacking him both at the top of the strike zone and with sliders. Defensively, Rutschman’s blocking is fundamentally sound and his plus arm strength allows him to make every throw. Baseball’s No. 1 prospect looks every bit of a future franchise cornerstone in Baltimore.
• 
  Ranked Eastern League #1 prospect in 2021
  Rutschman was the consensus top prospect in the league this season, impressing managers with his maturity and presence both behind and at the plate before being promoted to Triple-A Norfolk in early August. Rutschman mashed 18 home runs for Bowie, but evaluators also pointed to the carryover of his plate discipline from his college days. His walk rate of nearly 16% ranked fourth-best in the league among qualified hitters. While Rutschman played 20 games at first base with Bowie, there were no concerns about his ability to stick at catcher, and he made big strides in both his pitch-framing and game-calling. “He’s phenomenal,” Bowie teammate Grayson Rodriguez said. “When we have our postgame reports of all the pitches we made, and you see the pitches and where they’re at, it’s crazy to see how many balls he stole for strikes. The way he calls the game, and stuff like that, it’s elite.”
• 
  Ranked New York-Penn League #1 prospect in 2019
  After a quick tune-up in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, Rutschman, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft, moved to the New York-Penn League and showed off plus tools across the board. "He was a ‘wow’ for me," one rival NYPL manager said. "He can do everything and is super composed. His two-strike approach was incredible." Rutschman spent just 20 games in the league and put together a 10-game hit streak that culminated in a 5-for-5 performance that earned him a promotion to low Class A Delmarva. Rutschman is a plus hitter from both sides of the plate, offering elite plate discipline and developing power. He shows leadership qualities on the field and should stick behind the dish. He has athletic actions as a receiver with a plus, accurate arm. The Orioles’ top prospect has all the skills to be the next face of the franchise, and he should advance through the farm system rather quickly with his advanced all-around skill set.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #1 prospect in 2022
• Ranked Baseball America's #2 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #5 prospect in 2020

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Orioles were made to wait longer than expected to see the 2019 No. 1 overall pick tear through the minors the way a generational amateur talent is expected. A College World Series champion and Most Outstanding Player for Oregon State in 2018 and the BA College Player of the Year in 2019, Rutschman got a late start to his 2019 pro debut due to illness, then spent the summer of 2020 at the Orioles’ alternate training site refining his swing and beginning to build rapport with some of the top pitching prospects in the organization. His delayed first full season, however, could not have gone better. Beginning at Double-A Bowie, Rutschman was the top prospect in Double-A Northeast and appeared in the Futures Game before ending his season with Triple-A Norfolk. He hit .285/.397/.502 with 23 home runs and a 79-to-90 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 123 games. He led all minor league catchers with 543 plate appearances.
  
  Scouting Report: Rutschman’s calling card at the plate is his elite plate discipline, with his 14.5% walk rate the best in the organization and in the top 10% of all qualified hitters in the high minors. He paced the Orioles’ internal swing decision metrics and rarely swings and misses, with a 6.7% whiff rate. His uncanny understanding of the strike zone means his already-modest strikeout numbers could fall as he advances to the majors and higher quality umpires. When pitchers do come into his zone, Rutschman can do damage. In the midst of his one rough stretch of the season, he and the Orioles identified an issue with his load and landed on a change that allows him to let the ball travel deeper. In doing so, he was able to drive the ball more consistently by staying on plane with the pitch, all without sacrificing power or contact to do so. His line drive rate was 17.2% at Bowie, but with the changes taking hold, that rate jumped to 26.6% the last two months at Triple-A. The adjustment helps Rutschman better tap into his potentially elite power while elevating his average when he’s staying in the ballpark. Defensively, Rutschman made strides calling games and built on his strength of developing relationships with pitchers, who raved about working with him. He’s already an advanced receiver and his strong arm helped him cut down 27% of basestealers. While his skill set is major league-ready, coaches and teammates appreciate how tirelessly Rutschman works to improve and shows genuine efforts for helping them do the same.
  
  The Future: The composite of all of Rutschman’s skills makes for a player who looks like he can be an above-average major leaguer in 2022. A forecast of multiple all-star appearances and consideration for MVP honors isn’t far-fetched. Rutschman will be the cornerstone of the Orioles’ planned turnaround, and his success in Triple-A means there’s not much left for him to accomplish there. If he’s not on the Opening Day roster, it won’t be long before he’s suiting up behind the plate at Camden Yards.
  
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  Rutschman was the consensus top prospect in the league this season, impressing managers with his maturity and presence both behind and at the plate before being promoted to Triple-A Norfolk in early August. Rutschman mashed 18 home runs for Bowie, but evaluators also pointed to the carryover of his plate discipline from his college days. His walk rate of nearly 16% ranked fourth-best in the league among qualified hitters. While Rutschman played 20 games at first base with Bowie, there were no concerns about his ability to stick at catcher, and he made big strides in both his pitch-framing and game-calling. “He’s phenomenal,” Bowie teammate Grayson Rodriguez said. “When we have our postgame reports of all the pitches we made, and you see the pitches and where they’re at, it’s crazy to see how many balls he stole for strikes. The way he calls the game, and stuff like that, it’s elite.”
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  Double-A managers showered Rutschman with superlatives in Best Tools balloting, and he showed the same qualities upon his arrival at Triple-A with Norfolk. Rutschman pairs easy plus power from both sides of the plate with an advanced, patient approach. He walked nearly as frequently as he struck out, and his chase rate at Triple-A was among the lowest of any prospect to make this list. Rutschman’s plate discipline allows him to hunt mistakes, and his swing is geared to crush them. If there was anything to quibble with—and one truly has to nitpick in this case—it’s that Rutschman’s swing is more lofted from the left side, and Triple-A pitchers had some early success attacking him both at the top of the strike zone and with sliders. Defensively, Rutschman’s blocking is fundamentally sound and his plus arm strength allows him to make every throw. Baseball’s No. 1 prospect looks every bit of a future franchise cornerstone in Baltimore.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 70. Power: 70. Run: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 70
  Track Record: Rutschman was a generational talent in college at Oregon State, leading the Beavers to the College World Series title as a sophomore in 2018 and winning the Golden Spikes Award in 2019. The Orioles made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft and signed him to a then-record $8.1 million bonus. Rutschman climbed from the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League through the short-season New York-Penn League to help low Class A Delmarva on its playoff run in 2019. Rutschman gained valuable experience in major league spring training before spending the summer dominating the team's alternate site at Bowie, Md.
  
  Scouting Report: The switch-hitting Rutschman rebuilt his swing in college to gear for more power and consistency. He continues to find ways to refine and make his swing more efficient as he learns the professional game. He went through an adjustment period at the Bowie camp after the coronavirus shutdown period halted most of his work, but he quickly revealed the all-fields power and consistent hard contact that give him potential to be a plus-plus hitter with plus-plus power at his peak. He ended the summer as the best performer at the camp. His offensive production is aided by advanced plate discipline. Rutschman is clear in which pitches he's able to drive and which he should lay off. He'll likely see increased benefit from that when pitchers are around the strike zone more and umpires improve at the higher levels of the minors. Rutschman's above-average pop times and advanced receiving skills behind the plate give him the physical tools to be a plus major league catcher. His work at the Bowie camp helped him gain experience calling pitches to an advanced pitcher's plan and gave him invaluable insight into how pitchers and fellow catchers with major league experience see the game. All those tools are enhanced by a reputation as a fantastic teammate and tireless worker who elevates both himself and everyone around him with his approach to the game.
  
  The Future: Rutschman is the game's best catching prospect and one of the most exciting minor leaguers in all of baseball. The Orioles envision a generational offensive producer at his peak, standout defense behind the plate and multiple all-star nods. Rutschman's path to Baltimore may have been slowed by the lack of a 2020 minor league season, but if he starts in Double-A next spring, he could push for a major league debut at the end of 2021, or else be up early in 2022.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 70. Power: 70. Run: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 70
  Track Record: Rutschman was a generational talent in college at Oregon State, leading the Beavers to the College World Series title as a sophomore in 2018 and winning the Golden Spikes Award in 2019. The Orioles made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft and signed him to a then-record $8.1 million bonus. Rutschman climbed from the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League through the short-season New York-Penn League to help low Class A Delmarva on its playoff run in 2019. Rutschman gained valuable experience in major league spring training before spending the summer dominating the team’s alternate site at Bowie, Md.
  
  Scouting Report: The switch-hitting Rutschman rebuilt his swing in college to gear for more power and consistency. He continues to find ways to refine and make his swing more efficient as he learns the professional game. He went through an adjustment period at the Bowie camp after the coronavirus shutdown period halted most of his work, but he quickly revealed the all-fields power and consistent hard contact that give him potential to be a plus-plus hitter with plus-plus power at his peak. He ended the summer as the best performer at the camp. His offensive production is aided by advanced plate discipline. Rutschman is clear in which pitches he’s able to drive and which he should lay off. He’ll likely see increased benefit from that when pitchers are around the strike zone more and umpires improve at the higher levels of the minors. Rutschman’s above-average pop times and advanced receiving skills behind the plate give him the physical tools to be a plus major league catcher. His work at the Bowie camp helped him gain experience calling pitches to an advanced pitcher’s plan and gave him invaluable insight into how pitchers and fellow catchers with major league experience see the game. All those tools are enhanced by a reputation as a fantastic teammate and tireless worker who elevates both himself and everyone around him with his approach to the game.
  
  The Future: Rutschman is the game’s best catching prospect and one of the most exciting minor leaguers in all of baseball. The Orioles envision a generational offensive producer at his peak, standout defense behind the plate and multiple all-star nods. Rutschman’s path to Baltimore may have been slowed by the lack of a 2020 minor league season, but if he starts in Double-A next spring, he could push for a major league debut at the end of 2021, or else be up early in 2022.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 70. Power: 70. Run: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 70
  Track Record: Rutschman was a generational talent in college at Oregon State, leading the Beavers to the College World Series title as a sophomore in 2018 and winning the Golden Spikes Award in 2019. The Orioles made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft and signed him to a then-record $8.1 million bonus. Rutschman climbed from the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League through the short-season New York-Penn League to help low Class A Delmarva on its playoff run in 2019. Rutschman gained valuable experience in major league spring training before spending the summer dominating the team’s alternate site at Bowie, Md.
  
  Scouting Report: The switch-hitting Rutschman rebuilt his swing in college to gear for more power and consistency. He continues to find ways to refine and make his swing more efficient as he learns the professional game. He went through an adjustment period at the Bowie camp after the coronavirus shutdown period halted most of his work, but he quickly revealed the all-fields power and consistent hard contact that give him potential to be a plus-plus hitter with plus-plus power at his peak. He ended the summer as the best performer at the camp. His offensive production is aided by advanced plate discipline. Rutschman is clear in which pitches he’s able to drive and which he should lay off. He’ll likely see increased benefit from that when pitchers are around the strike zone more and umpires improve at the higher levels of the minors. Rutschman’s above-average pop times and advanced receiving skills behind the plate give him the physical tools to be a plus major league catcher. His work at the Bowie camp helped him gain experience calling pitches to an advanced pitcher’s plan and gave him invaluable insight into how pitchers and fellow catchers with major league experience see the game. All those tools are enhanced by a reputation as a fantastic teammate and tireless worker who elevates both himself and everyone around him with his approach to the game.
  
  The Future: Rutschman is the game’s best catching prospect and one of the most exciting minor leaguers in all of baseball. The Orioles envision a generational offensive producer at his peak, standout defense behind the plate and multiple all-star nods. Rutschman’s path to Baltimore may have been slowed by the lack of a 2020 minor league season, but if he starts in Double-A next spring, he could push for a major league debut at the end of 2021, or else be up early in 2022.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A celebrated recruit who won Oregon high school state player of the year in 2016, Rutschman accomplished everything there was to do in college at Oregon State. He led the Beavers to the College World Series title and won CWS Most Outstanding Player in 2018, led USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team in nearly every offensive category the following summer and entered 2019 as the consensus top draft prospect in the class. He lived up to it by hitting .411 with a nation-leading .575 on-base percentage and won the BA College Player of the Year Award. The Orioles drafted him No. 1 overall and signed him for a draft-record $8.1 million. A case of mononucleosis after he signed delayed Rutschman’s pro debut nearly a month, but he still climbed three levels after signing and wowed teammates and coaches at each stop, finishing with low Class A Delmarva for its playoff run.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite Rutschman’s reputation as a tireless worker, there are no apparent holes in his game. Defensively, he’s a pitcher’s dream in terms of his advanced framing and above-average pop times on throws to second base. He called some of his own games as an amateur and took well to game-calling once he signed. At the plate, the switch-hitting Rutschman shows a swing tooled for both average and power, with a consistent path from both sides geared towards line drives and hard contact. His future outlook as a plus hitter with plus in-game power will be aided by his standout approach, one honed as opposing teams pitched around him his last year in college. Rutschman showed a similarly sharp eye in his pro debut, to the point his coaches began using his at-bats as an example to his new teammates. That’s not to say Rutschman often singles himself out. Instead, he’s touted as a tremendous teammate who will put his own goals behind the team’s, and he has spoken about how the turnaround in the Orioles’ minors suits him in terms of his pursuit of winning.
  
  THE FUTURE: A potential perennial all-star catcher with a middle-of-the-order bat landed on the Orioles’ doorstep thanks to their dreadful 115-loss season in 2018. Already, Rutschman has become the face of the club’s rebuild. The Orioles figure to start him at high Class A Frederick with an eye toward Double-A Bowie at midseason, which could put him on track for a 2021 debut in Baltimore. SCOUTING GRADES Hit: 70. Power: 60. Run: 40. Field: 60. Arm: 70. BA GRADE 70 Risk: High
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A celebrated recruit who won Oregon high school state player of the year in 2016, Rutschman accomplished everything there was to do in college at Oregon State. He led the Beavers to the College World Series title and won CWS Most Outstanding Player in 2018, led USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team in nearly every offensive category the following summer and entered 2019 as the consensus top draft prospect in the class. He lived up to it by hitting .411 with a nation-leading .575 on-base percentage and won the BA College Player of the Year Award. The Orioles drafted him No. 1 overall and signed him for a draft-record $8.1 million. A case of mononucleosis after he signed delayed Rutschman's pro debut nearly a month, but he still climbed three levels after signing and wowed teammates and coaches at each stop, finishing with low Class A Delmarva for its playoff run.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Despite Rutschman's reputation as a tireless worker, there are no apparent holes in his game. Defensively, he's a pitcher's dream in terms of his advanced framing and above-average pop times on throws to second base. He called some of his own games as an amateur and took well to game-calling once he signed. At the plate, the switch-hitting Rutschman shows a swing tooled for both average and power, with a consistent path from both sides geared towards line drives and hard contact. His future outlook as a plus hitter with plus in-game power will be aided by his standout approach, one honed as opposing teams pitched around him his last year in college. Rutschman showed a similarly sharp eye in his pro debut, to the point his coaches began using his at-bats as an example to his new teammates. That's not to say Rutschman often singles himself out. Instead, he's touted as a tremendous teammate who will put his own goals behind the team's, and he has spoken about how the turnaround in the Orioles' minors suits him in terms of his pursuit of winning.
  
  THE FUTURE: A potential perennial all-star catcher with a middle-of-the-order bat landed on the Orioles' doorstep thanks to their dreadful 115-loss season in 2018. Already, Rutschman has become the face of the club's rebuild. The Orioles figure to start him at high Class A Frederick with an eye toward Double-A Bowie at midseason, which could put him on track for a 2021 debut in Baltimore.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  After leading Oregon State to a College World Series title as a sophomore, Rutschman entered the 2019 draft season as the consensus top player, and the Beavers' backstop has done nothing but cement himself in that spot over the past year. Oregon State's leading hitter during the 2018 College World Series, Rutschman then joined USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team in the summer, when he led all hitters in each triple slash category, hitting .355/.432/.516. This spring, Rutschman has taken another step forward offensively, doubly impressive when you consider he hit .408/.505/.628 with nine home runs as a sophomore in 2018. This season, he's tapped into more of his plus raw power while also significantly boosting his walk rate. Opposing pitchers have often pitched around Rutschman this season, although the 6-foot-2, 216-pound backstop rarely expands the zone and has consistently kept his strikeout rate near 14 percent over his three seasons in the Pac-12. Rutschman has plus power from both sides of the plate, with his righthanded stroke just a bit shorter than his swing from the left side. He makes adjustments well at the plate, and while his 2017 summer in the Cape Cod League wasn't ideal (.164/.282/.179 in 20 games), scouts have seen him do enough damage with Team USA to remain more than confident in his ability with a wood bat. Overall, Rutschman projects as a future .300 hitter. Defensively, Rutschman has all the tools to be a plus defender at the position. He has a strong arm, impressive receiving and blocking ability and excellent footwork on throws to second base, with a quick exchange from his glove to his release. Some scouts would like to have seen Rutschman throw more frequently this spring, but teams have run against him infrequently--and for good reason. Like most catchers, speed is Rutschman's weakest tool and the only tool that doesn't project as plus, but that's hardly a concern moving forward. Most scouts believe Rutschman has a chance to be an All-Star-level player in the majors as an impact bat in the middle of the order while also bringing plenty of defensive value. With excellent makeup and plenty of natural leadership traits, Rutschman has all the intangibles teams like to see from their backstops. He is the best catching prospect since Buster Posey in 2008 and Matt Wieters in 2007.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  After a quick tune-up in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, Rutschman, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft, moved to the New York-Penn League and showed off plus tools across the board. "He was a ‘wow’ for me," one rival NYPL manager said. "He can do everything and is super composed. His two-strike approach was incredible." Rutschman spent just 20 games in the league and put together a 10-game hit streak that culminated in a 5-for-5 performance that earned him a promotion to low Class A Delmarva. Rutschman is a plus hitter from both sides of the plate, offering elite plate discipline and developing power. He shows leadership qualities on the field and should stick behind the dish. He has athletic actions as a receiver with a plus, accurate arm. The Orioles’ top prospect has all the skills to be the next face of the franchise, and he should advance through the farm system rather quickly with his advanced all-around skill set.