Orioles' Superstar Prospect Calls Fellow Rising Youngster "The Real Thing"

This comment from the Baltimore Orioles' superstar prospect about another rising star is music to the ears of the organization and fans everywhere.

There really isn't much else to be said about the job that the Baltimore Orioles' front office has done during their rebuild with them having this franchise looking like one of the best in the league for years to come.

Savvy moves and drafting elite players have jumpstarted their efforts and put them way ahead of schedule with an AL East title and a 100-win season in 2023.

That was with many of their talented youngsters still in the minor leagues as they wait until they get a shot at the bigs.

Orioles fans first got a taste of No. 1 prospect Adley Rutschman, who did not disappoint in his rookie campaign, when finishing runner-up to Julio Rodriguez in the 2022 AL Rookie of the Year voting.

Then, their other No. 1 prospect, Gunnar Henderson, came along and took home that coveted award last season.

Now, it seems like their third straight No. 1 prospect in baseball, Jackson Holliday, is going to get his opportunity for Baltimore to have back-to-win Rookie of the Year winners as early as Opening Day.

The excitement for the arrival of the 20-year-old superstar minor leaguer is palpable, and he's been able to showcase what he can do in Spring Training.

However, he was quick to get Orioles fans excited for another star prospect.

"He is the real thing," he told Steve Melewski of MASN when discussing Baltimore's No. 2 prospect Samuel Basallo.

"I remember our first few games (last April) were in Salem, Va. and it was freezing cold, and he hit two homers. One of them, he hit it like 50 feet over the wall, just outstanding. Really impressive and he is such a good kid and I have enjoyed being with him as a teammate. Watching him do his thing, pretty special. Excited to see how fast he can move up."

Similar to Holliday, Basallo's rise has also been meteoric.

After his first year of rookie ball in the Dominican Republic, the catching prospect was No. 19 in the Orioles' farm system for the 2022.

Now, he's No. 17 in all of baseball according to MLB Pipeline.

At just 19 years old, Basallo has big time potential, showcasing elite power paired with an ability to hit for average.

"I think he is handling it well ... Personality-wise he can handle that and who knows, maybe he is the next Orioles' No. 1 prospect. That would be pretty sweet. Definitely rooting for him and he's an easy person to like," Holliday told Melewski.

There's a good chance that comes to fruition.

Baltimore is going to have a roster loaded with special, young talent for the next decade.