Baltimore Orioles finally start the Adley Rutschman Era

Adley Rutschman was considered to be the light at the end of the tunnel. He was the great hope for Baltimore Orioles fans, the symbol of their next foray into contention. A consensus top five prospect since being drafted with the first overall selection in 2019, it was a matter of time until he ascended to the majors.

That time is now. The Orioles have finally made the call, giving Rutschman his rightful place as their primary catcher and the face of their next era. Anthony Benboom was designated for assignment to make room for Rutschman on the roster.

Baltimore Orioles finally bring Adley Rutschman to majors

There had been talk about Rutschman being the Orioles’ primary catcher on Opening Day. As every one of their catchers from 2021 were let go, and Benboom and Robinson Chirinos were his only competition for the position, that starting role appeared as though it would be handed to him.

However, Rutschman suffered a strained right triceps late in spring training. While he was expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks, he also needed time in the minors to get back in game shape. That pushed his debut back until later in the year and may have given the Orioles an extra year of team control.

Rutschman had actually struggled at Triple-A based on his standards. While his .233/.377/.442 batting line in his 53 plate appearances was not terrible by any stretch of the imagination, it also was not what anyone would have expected based on his production last year.

None of that matters at this point. Rutschman is headed to the majors, and with him, there is the flicker of hope. He is the beginning of the next wave of prospects, as DL Hall and Grayson Rodriguez are likely to follow in the near future. The Orioles’ next wave of youngsters are on the way.

Adley Rutschman is finally on his way to the majors. The light at the end of the tunnel for the Baltimore Orioles is getting brighter.