NL team called Orioles star Adley Rutschman's top trade destination

Could this be the team Baltimore Orioles backstop Adley Rutschman is traded to this offseason?

Aug 1, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) gestures after hitting a double against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Throughout his college and professional baseball career, the player that Baltimore Orioles backstop Adley Rutschman has been compared to most often is Buster Posey, the San Francisco Giants' legendary catcher.

There are some clear reasons for these comparisons. Not only do they have similar physical profiles, have both won college baseball's Golden Spikes Award (Posey in 2008 and Rutschman in 2019), which is given to the country's top player each season, and are both switch-hitting catchers, but both Posey and Rutschman were considered the faces of their respective franchises, which comes with a ton of pressure.

Posey turned that pressure into diamonds, producing three World Series titles, seven All-Star appearances, the 2012 NL MVP, and a Gold Glove Award. All of this turned Posey into a legend in the San Francisco Bay Area and is surely going to make him a member of the MLB Hall of Fame once he becomes eligible in 2027.

And Posey parlayed this success into becoming the Giants' current president of baseball operations.

Dec 12, 2024; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey speaks during the introductory press conference for shortstop Willy Adames (not pictured) at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

It's too early to forecast how Rutschman's career will conclude. However, given his regression over the past two seasons, it doesn't seem likely that he'll produce the same success as Posey.

San Francisco Giants Called Adley Rutschman's Top Trade Destination

It's no secret that Rutschman is expected to be on the trade block this offseason, given that the Orioles signed catcher Samuel Basallo to an eight-year contract extension earlier this month.

And in an August 27 article, Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer called the Giants Rutschman's top potential trade destination.

"There isn't a better defensive catcher in MLB than Patrick Bailey. He has above-average ranks across the board, though he is especially adept at framing. It's too bad that he can't hit a lick, and it's not as if his bat is trending upward. He's indeed gotten even worse since breaking in with a .644 OPS in 2023, going down to .637 last year and .536 this year," the article wrote.

I'd expect the Giants to do their homework on Adley Rutschman. Baltimore might be selling a little lower than they would have a year ago, but the cost for a catcher with 2 years of team control remaining still should be moderately high. Perhaps, a lighter version... https://t.co/tStZTP3quO

— Jeff Young (@BaseballJeff1) August 27, 2025

Rymer later added, "Posey demonstrated with the Rafael Devers trade that he's willing to take big swings on the trade market instead. Another for Rutschman would bring real upside to the Bay Area, and it wouldn't hurt that he's something of a Posey acolyte with the way he plays."

Rymer also cooked up a potential trade proposal, which involved Rutschman getting traded for talented right-handed pitcher Landen Roupp.

While the fact that Roupp has five more years of team control compared to Rutschman's two is one reason why the Giants would be hesitant to make this trade, perhaps Posey sees something of himself in Rutschman, which will convince him to make a deal.