Watch: Baltimore Orioles Top Prospect Rips Another Majestic Home Run

The Baltimore Orioles have a prospect that has been showing off his prodigious power during his time at spring training.

Shorebirds' Samuel Basallo (21) swings in the game against the Cannon Ballers Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland. | Lauren Roberts/Salisbury Daily Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

There are no illusions about Baltimore Orioles slugger Samuel Basallo and his place in the organization.

He is their No. 1 prospect, as ranked by every major service in baseball, and considered one of the highest-ranked prospects in the game. But he’s not going to make the Orioles’ opening-day roster.

That doesn’t mean he can’t be entertaining.

On Monday he was in the lineup for the O’s against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the top of the fifth inning, he took a 2-1 offering for a ride. It went so long that it sailed over the fans sitting in the right-field seats. The shot went 403 feet.

It also came with an exit velocity of 111.3 mph, which was faster than any ball he hit in the minor leagues in 2024 — single, double, triple or home run.

Samuel Basallo absolutely crushes his second home run of the spring 🤯

MLB's No. 13 prospect (@Orioles) sends it out at 111.3 mph, harder than any of his batted balls at Triple-A last year: pic.twitter.com/nhqh9m2Rsd

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 10, 2025

Basallo is in Orioles camp on a non-roster invite, but he hasn’t been sent back to minor league camp yet. He’ll play with the Orioles’ Spring Breakout team later this week.

In 10 spring training games, he has slashed .294/.278/.765/1.043 with two home runs and eight RBI. He has struck out five times and walked none. He’s listed as a catcher, but he continues to get work at first place to make him more versatile for the time he is called up to the Majors.

That time could be near for the 20-year-old from the Dominican Republic, who is entering his fifth professional season, but his third with a full-season affiliate. He is expected to return to Triple-A Norfolk to start the season.

He’s accelerated fast the past two seasons, as he burned through Class-A Delmarva, High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Bowie in 2023 with a combined slash line of .313/.402/.551/.953 with 20 home runs and 86 RBI.

Baltimore started him at Bowie last year, but he earned a promotion to Triple-A Norfolk midway through the campaign. Combined, he slashed .278/.341/.449/.790 with 19 home runs and 65 RBI. He was also selected to play in the MLB Futures Game during All-Star Weekend.

Along with being a catcher and first baseman, Basallo could end up working at designated hitter in the Majors especially with his pop. But he’ll also be hotly pursued during the season when it comes to trades. If the Orioles decide to make a big move to improve, he could be part of the price paid.

For now, he’s one of the most highly-anticipated — and entertaining — prospects in the organization.