Baltimore Orioles Top Prospect Draws Bold Comparison to Royals Future Star

The Baltimore Orioles have done as good of a job in recent years of selecting and developing highly touted draft picks and turning them into contributors at the Major League level.

Their projected Opening Day lineup is full of homegrown stars. Designated hitter/first baseman Ryan O’Hearn and outfielder Tyler O’Neill are the only players who weren’t drafted by the Orioles that are expected to be starters this year.

Shortstop Gunnar Henderson, catcher Adley Rutschman and third baseman Jordan Westburg have already cemented themselves as All-Star caliber producers. Outfielder Colton Cowser was the rookie of the year runner-up in 2024.

The Orioles are hopeful that second baseman Jackson Holliday and outfielder Heston Kjerstad can rise to that level in 2025 with added opportunities.

Behind them, there are two more star prospects who will be contributing at the Major League level regularly in the near future.

One of them is catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo, who is the No. 17 ranked prospect in the sport in the opinion of ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel (subscription required).

The MLB writer shared a bold comparison for the emerging Baltimore star, likening him to two-way Kansas City Royals standout Jac Caglianone.

A star on the mound and in the lineup, he is transitioning to first base full-time, as McDaniel dubbed him “MLB’s homer king” in his scouting report.

A cannon for an arm and prodigious power are the attributes anchoring Basallo’s scouting report and projections right now, as he could be a middle-of-the-order threat capable of hitting 30-plus home runs every year.

That is something Baltimore could certainly use with Anthony Santander moving on in free agency earlier this winter.

To reach that potential, Basallo will have to clean up some things in his game, such as pitch selection. His chase rate is eyebrow-raising high, which makes it all the more impressive that he was able to reach Triple-A as a teenager. It speaks volumes to just how special his bat really is.

His long-term value will also be determined by the position that he plays.

If he can continue working on his defense as a catcher, a 30-plus home run threat from that position would deepen what could already be the best lineup in baseball in a few years.

However, it will take work for that tantalizing potential to be realized.

“Basallo still has a wide range of potential outcomes for a player who has reached Triple-A, as both his offensive and defensive profiles could boom or bust,” McDaniel wrote.

With Rutschman still at the top of his game, Baltimore is in a unique position as they don’t need to rush Basallo through the system. They can bide their time, allowing him to continue his development in Triple-A to make sure he gets as close to reaching his potential as possible before a promotion.

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