Less Than A Week After His MLB Debut, Samuel Basallo Signed A $67 Million Contract

It's been a productive time for rookies who recently made their Major League Baseball debuts. Earlier in August, the Boston Red Sox signed outfielder Roman Anthony to a deal less than two months after he played in his first MLB game. That contract is worth up to $230 million if Anthony hits certain incentives. Meanwhile, another American League East team, the Baltimore Orioles, just offered a contract extension to a player with even less experience.

The Orioles and catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo agreed to an eight-year, $67 million contract extension. Basallo made his MLB debut on August 17; four days later, he had already signed a deal. The contract includes a $5 million signing bonus, plus escalators and incentives that could increase its value to a max of $88.5 million.

Basallo's deal is the richest for a catcher with such little service time. By the time of the deal, he had accumulated a mere 0.005 years of MLB service. Yet now, Basallo, who only turned 21 on August 13, will be under contract throughout his twenties.

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The Orioles signed Basallo out of the Dominican Republic in 2021 for $1.3 million. He's currently one of the top prospects in baseball and quickly rose through the minor leagues. He jumped from Low-A to Double-A when he was 18, got promoted to Triple-A shortly after turning 20, and smashed 23 home runs in 76 games this year before the Orioles brought him up to the majors.

The lefty has impressive bat speed and power and should be an instant improvement for an Orioles team that has had a down season after two consecutive postseason trips. Baltimore won 101 games in 2023 and 91 in 2024, though the Orioles lost in their initial round both seasons. In fact, the team hasn't won a playoff game or series since 2012, when it got past the AL Wild Card round before losing to the New York Yankees in five games in the ALDS.

That trend will likely continue this season, as the Orioles are on pace for a losing record and are sitting in last place in the AL East. Because of the timing of Basallo's deal, he may not reach the threshold of games to qualify as a rookie this year. He could play in the final quarter of games this season and then start next year with some MLB experience under his belt.

Whether he slots in at catcher or first base, the Orioles will be happy to have his bat in the lineup. And by signing a deal so soon after his debut, they've set themselves up for years of potential lucrative returns.