Orioles All-Star Projected For Huge 2024 Season
The Baltimore Orioles have a wealth of talent. Young player that should be around Baltimore for some time dot the roster. Any one of them could have the highest 2024 projections when it comes to everyone’s favorite modern analytic, wins above replacement.
Well, FanGraphs has done the math and MLB.com did the compilation of the player from each team that has the highest projected WAR going into the season.
The winner was catcher Adley Rutschman.
With a WAR of 5.7, he has the fifth-highest projected WAR of any hitter in baseball, behind only Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr., the New York Yankees’ Juan Soto, the Yankees Aaron Judge and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts.
The Orioles took him No. 1 overall in the 2019 MLB Draft and he’s paid off handsomely after two MLB seasons. Among the statistical projections for his season are 20 home runs and a 130 wRC+.
Last season Rutschman built on his solid rookie campaign to win the Silver Slugger behind the plate, make his first All-Star Game and finish ninth in American League Most Valuable Player voting.
Rutschman slashed .277/.374/.435/.809 with 31 doubles, a triple, 20 home runs and 80 RBI. He walked 92 times and struck out 101 times.
In his rookie season of 2022, Rutschman slashed .254/.362/.445/.806 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI. In addition to finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting, he finished 12th in AL MVP voting.
Rutschman is one of several young prospects that have helped turned the Orioles back into winners, as they are coming off a 101-win season, their first season of 100 or more wins since 1980. The Orioles won the AL East but fell to the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers in the AL Division Series.
