Adley Rutschman Trade Grades: Red Sox Pay Up to Land Orioles’ All-Star Catcher

Boston is acquiring the No. 1 pick from the 2019 draft, and giving up a substantial package of prospects to do so.

The Baltimore Orioles have traded catcher Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Red Sox continue to be aggressive at the deadline. They’re 14–3 since the All-Star break, and general manager Craig Breslow has pushed his chips in. The latest deal is an AL East blockbuster, as Boston has landed catcher Adley Rutschman from the Orioles in exchange for three prospects and backup catcher Carlos Narvaez. It was a ton to surrender for an upgrade at catcher.

Rutschman is a former No. 1 overall pick and former All-MLB pick who was an All-Star this year. Baltimore has depth at catcher in the organization with former top prospect Samuel Basallo, so it feels like a perfect time to sell the former face of their franchise.

Baltimore is receiving right-handers Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon, plus outfielder Endy Azocar.

Let’s break out the red ink and dive into grades for this trade.

Red Sox

Rutschman was the No. 1 pick in the 2019 MLB draft and is a three-time All-Star. In 2023, he was named first-team All-MLB, and it looked like he’d be the centerpiece of Baltimore’s organization for a decade. Things rapidly declined from there.

The 28-year-old has dealt with up-and-down campaigns and injuries. He bottomed out in 2025, when he played only 90 games and slashed .220/.307/.366 with nine home runs and a career-low wRC+ of 91. The switch-hitter has bounced back at the plate some this season and has slashed .251/.331/.433 with eight home runs, 47 RBIs and a 115 wRC+ through 67 games. Even when he struggles at the plate, Rutschman is an outstanding defensive catcher, ranking in the 100th percentile in caught-stealing above average and the 93rd percentile in framing, while providing a steady presence behind the dish.

Rutschman is under team control through next season, raising his value, and playing at Fenway Park might give his offense a boost. He has fairly even left/right splits, though he’s better from the left side, boasting a .799 OPS vs. .705 from the right side this season. For his career, those numbers are flipped as his OPS is .783 vs. lefties and .746 vs. righties.

Here’s where I issue a warning to Red Sox fans. From Opening Day through the end of April, Rutschman was slashing .356/.406/.661 with four home runs, 17 RBIs and a 199 wRC+. Since then, he’s fallen off a cliff, slashing .218/.309/.362 with four home runs, 30 RBIs and a wRC+ of 90.

The biggest downside here is injury risk. Rutschman is currently on the IL due to a wrist injury. He previously dealt with a left ankle injury in April and a concussion in June. This is after his 2025 campaign was derailed by multiple oblique strains, which limited him to 90 games.

Can Rutschman turn his career around in Boston? The tools are there, and it was time for a reset. That said, this deal carries considerable risk given the massive price the Red Sox paid.

Grade: B-

Anthony Eyanson represented the Red Sox at the 2026 Futures Game last month, but will now be heading to the Orioles’ minor league system. | Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Orioles

Three years ago, this deal would have felt crazy, but given where the Orioles are, it makes perfect sense. Rutschman’s career plateaued, and he may need a change of scenery to get back to consistent production at the plate.

Given that he has another year of team control and is having a bit of a bounce-back season, Rutschman’s value is likely the highest it will get before free agency. Selling now was smart, though it had to be difficult given his makeup and the weight he carries in the clubhouse. Luckily, Basallo can slide right into the everyday catcher role and the team shouldn’t suffer on the field.

In exchange for Rutschman, the Orioles will receive a solid haul.

The centerpiece of the deal is Eyanson, who was a third-round pick in 2025 out of UC San Diego and has excellent stuff. The 21-year-old was Boston’s No. 2 prospect and features a mid-90s fastball that can hit triple digits, along with a mid-80s slider that can be elite. He has a plus curveball and a splitter he’s still developing. At Double A this season, he’s 4–0 with a 1.69 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 60 strikeouts against 23 walks in 48 innings.

Witherspoon was the 15th pick in the 2025 draft out of Oklahoma and slots in as Boston’s No. 4 prospect. The 21-year-old has an electric mid-90s fastball, with an outstanding low-90s cutter. His curveball and slider both flash plus, while he’s still developing a changeup. He’s in High A this season and has a 3–5 record with a 4.78 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 78 strikeouts in 75 1/3 innings over 17 starts. His numbers aren’t great in his first pro season, but the stuff is ther—he just needs to harness it.

Azocar was an international signing in 2024 with decent tools across the board, particularly his speed and arm. There’s raw power to be had, but he has struggled to make consistent contact. If he irons that out, there’s a ton of upside here. The 19-year-old is already up to High A and holding his own, with an .885 OPS and 12 home runs in 46 games.

Narvaez will slot in as Baltimore’s backup catcher. The 27-year-old has struggled in 2026, hitting .187 with a .535 OPS and three home runs in 171 at-bats. He was much better last year, slashing .241/.306/.419 with 15 homers and producing 2.8 WAR.

The Orioles were always going to turn their catching spot over to Basallo. The fact that they got a massive haul of prospects in exchange for a year and a few months of Rutschman is excellent work.

Grade: A+

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