Orioles Select Oregon State Catcher Adley Rutschman First Overall in 2019 MLB Draft
By Ryan Flores
Baltimore finally got their man. With the first pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, the Orioles selected Adley Rutschman, a catcher out of Oregon State University.
1 (1): @Orioles select Oregon State (OR) C Adley Rutschman. https://t.co/XaNZfR9B0N #MLBDraft
— MLB Draft Tracker (@MLBDraftTracker) June 3, 2019
Rutschman is a very polished hitter with plus raw power, and has all the tools to be a great catcher for years to come. Plus, he also exhibited leadership skills at OSU that makes him incredibly enticing.
It's universally believed that Rutschman could very well be the best all-around college catcher to play since Buster Posey. His numbers support it, as in 2019, Rutschman hit an amazing .418 with 17 homers, 58 runs batted in and had an absurd .580 OBP.
#Birdland Adley Rutschman
— DC ✍? (@DanClarkSports) June 3, 2019
• OSU catcher described as “Generational talent”
• Switch-hitting with power and strong defense
• College World Series Most Outstanding Player 2018
• Pac-12 Conference Player of the Year 2019
• NCAA Career: 356/.473/.560, with 27 HR and 171 RBI pic.twitter.com/k9ffQuqOrU
The last time Baltimore took a switch-hitting catcher was when Matt Wieters was with the team. Wieters hit .256 with 117 homers and 437 runs batted in through his eight seasons with the Orioles, and was a four-time All-Star. It’s safe to say that Wieters worked out well for the Orioles, so there’s reason to believe things will work out for Rutschman.
Congratulations on getting drafted first overall, Mr. Rutschman. It’s time to help turn around the woeful Orioles.