Who is Adley Rutschman?
Manny Randhawa
@MannyOnMLB
Andrew Simon
@AndrewSimonMLBAdley Rutschman was selected No. 1 overall by the Orioles in 2019, and is ranked as the No. 1 prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline. He was called up to the Majors on Saturday morning, ahead of Baltimore's game against the Rays at Camden Yards. But who is Adley Rutschman? Here's what to know about the switch-hitting catcher from Oregon State:
FAST FACTS
MLB organization: Orioles
Birthdate: Feb. 6, 1998 (Age 24 in 2022)
Primary position: C
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 220 lbs.
Bats/throws: Both/right
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
School(s): Sherwood (Ore.) HS; Oregon State
Drafted: 1st overall, 2019 (by BAL)
He once hit himself in the face with a home run
Well, not really. But Rutschman did crush a homer off his own headshot, which was displayed on the video board at Prince George's Stadium, home ballpark of the Orioles' Double-A Bowie affiliate, during a game against Reading on May 16, 2021. Not an easy feat. After 80 games with Bowie, he was promoted to Triple-A Norfolk, where he hit .295/.399/.480 in 55 games across 2021 and 2022.
Even before his callup, he played at Camden Yards
One silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic wiping out the 2020 Minor League season was that when the Orioles opened "Summer Camp" at their home ballpark ahead of a late-July Opening Day, Rutschman was invited. That meant he got to suit up in an O's uniform and take some at-bats against live pitching, among other things. So now that he's arrived in Baltimore for real, it's not an entirely new environment.
He became the first top overall pick in Oregon State history and first catcher to go No. 1 in 18 years
When Baltimore selected him with the first overall pick in 2019, Rutschman became the first No. 1 overall pick in Oregon State baseball history. He was also the first catcher selected with the No. 1 pick in the MLB Draft since the Twins drafted Joe Mauer with the top overall selection in 2001.
He won both the Golden Spikes and Dick Howser Awards in 2019
Rutschman was voted the best overall player in college baseball in 2019, winning both major awards for the category. He was also voted Pac-12 Player of the Year.
He got the Barry Bonds treatment at Oregon State
How scary was Rutschman in college? During an NCAA Tournament game in 2019, Cincinnati issued him an intentional walk -- with the bases loaded. The Bearcats led 5-2 at the time, with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, and they opted to force in a run rather than risk a go-ahead grand slam.
He was the MOP of the 2018 College World Series
Rutschman was named Most Outstanding Player of the College World Series in 2018, when he helped lead Oregon State to a national championship by tallying a CWS-record 17 hits while driving in 13 runs. That included three hits and two RBIs in the title clincher against Arkansas. Rutschman didn't do it alone, of course. That Beavers club also featured two other first-round picks and top prospects who have since made the Majors: Cubs second baseman Nick Madrigal and Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach. Another Oregon State teammate, infielder Cadyn Grenier, was drafted 37th overall by the Orioles in 2018. Rutschman and Grenier were teammates at Double-A Bowie in 2021 and Triple-A Norfolk in 2022.
He kicked a 63-yard field goal in high school and played for Oregon State football
The 63-yard field goal, which Rutschman kicked while a senior at Sherwood High School in 2015, set an Oregon state record. He played football for Oregon State as a freshman, and his one tackle as a kicker was of Stanford's Christian McCaffrey, now a star running back with the NFL's Carolina Panthers.
He learned to switch-hit after breaking his elbow in high school
Rutschman was a right-handed hitter in youth baseball but as a freshman in high school, he began hitting left-handed consistently after breaking his elbow.