Adley Rutschman, a former standout at Sherwood High School and Oregon State University and the No. 1 pick in last year’s baseball draft, has been added to the Baltimore Orioles’ 60-man player pool for the 2020 major league season, the team announced Friday.
Rutschman, 22, batted .254 with four home runs and 26 RBIs last season in 130 at-bats across three levels of professional baseball – none higher than Single-A.
His inclusion in Baltimore’s player pool does not necessarily mean he’ll make his big league debut this summer. The Orioles’ primary objective is to make sure their top prospect is practicing with the organization and continuing his development under their watch, rather than having him sit out a full year with the minor-league season canceled.
“We want to see him here and take BP and catch some of our starters,” manager Brandon Hyde told The Baltimore Sun.
“The bottom line is just to get him playing again.”
Rutschman is widely considered the top catching prospect in the game. He won numerous awards during his three years in Corvallis, including College World Series Most Outstanding Player after leading the Beavers to the 2018 national title.