Inside The Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Star Has Been Standing Out With Performance in Spring Training

A Baltimore Orioles executive spoke glowingly of how good one of their stars looks during spring training.

Kenneth Teape

Feb 16, 2025; Sarasota, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) during spring training workouts at Ed Smith Stadium.
Feb 16, 2025; Sarasota, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) during spring training workouts at Ed Smith Stadium. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
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The Baltimore Orioles have put together one of the strongest foundations in baseball with a talented lineup that features plenty of young stars.

There are some legitimate concerns about their pitching depth, but if the offense clicks and performs at the level it is capable of achieving, it will help compensate for whatever they are lacking on the mound.

One of the players whom the Orioles are counting on to return to form in 2025 is catcher Adley Rutschman.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Oregon State has certainly not disappointed. He made his Major League debut on May 21, 2022 and instantly became one of the best players at his position in the game.

Rutschman followed up his Rookie of the Year runner-up campaign in 2022 by making his first All-Star team in 2023 and winning the Silver Slugger Award. He finished ninth in the MVP voting that year and was 12th as a rookie.

It looked like it would be more of the same in 2024 as he got off to a hot start to earn his second consecutive All-Star nod.

The star catcher had a .276/.339/.441 slash line with 16 home runs, 12 doubles and 59 RBI in 404 plate appearances. All of his advanced stats, such as tOPS+ and sOPS+ were well above the league average.

But, something happened in the second half of the season and his performance dipped across the board.

He was no longer making an impact with his defense and his numbers at the plate all plummeted.

In 234 plate appearances in the second half, Rutschman had a slash line of .207/.282/.303 with only three home runs, nine doubles, one triple and 20 RBI. 

He was performing below what would be expected from a replacement level player and his drop off impacted the entire team, reflected in their win-loss record.

Luckily for Baltimore, those struggles look to have been put behind him.

He is turning heads in spring training, with general manager Mike Elias heaping a ton of praise on his young star.

“Rutschman has looked terrific in all facets thus far in camp. Our team is at its best when he’s locked in at the plate, and right now he looks ready for a great year,” he said, via Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required).

Through 22 spring training plate appearances, Rutschman has recorded a .444/.545/.611 slash line with one home run and three RBI.

He looks primed for a true breakout in 2025, something the Orioles could certainly use to legitimize themselves as World Series contenders.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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