Orioles agree to 8-year extension with top prospect Basallo

BALTIMORE -- The first long-term extension of the Mike Elias era has been signed in Baltimore -- and it went to the 21-year-old phenom who made his MLB debut only five days ago.

On Friday, the Orioles signed catcher Samuel Basallo to an eight-year contract extension that runs through the 2033 season and includes a team option for '34. The deal is worth $67 million and includes escalators based on awards and playing time at catcher that could bump it to a max of $88.5 million, a source told MLB.com.

The deal is the largest pre-arbitration contract signed by a catcher and includes a $5 million signing bonus, per source.

“We are thrilled to agree with Samuel long-term and are delighted about what this means for him and his family,” Elias said in a statement. “His debut and this extension are big achievements for our organization, beginning with the work of our international scouting staff and carried forward successfully by our entire player development operation. I thank the ownership group, led by David Rubenstein, for supporting our investment in Samuel as we pursue consistent success on the field, now and in the future.”

Basallo's deal is the fourth-largest in Orioles history behind contracts previously signed by Chris Davis (seven years, $161 million), Adam Jones (six years, $85.5 million) and Miguel Tejada (six years, $72 million).

• Earliest MLB contract extensions

“The agreement with Samuel is just a catalyst for the next exciting period of Orioles baseball,” Rubenstein said in a statement. “I thank Mike Elias, [vice president of international scouting and operations] Koby Perez and the entire baseball operations group for their effort and diligence in securing Samuel as a key piece of the future of the organization.”

It’s been quite a week for Basallo, the O’s No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 8 overall.

First, Basallo found out last Saturday he was getting called up to the big leagues for the first time, a promotion he learned of via a phone call from his dad, Jairo Fernando. On Sunday, Basallo debuted for Baltimore and collected his first hit (a two-run single) in Houston.

Basallo has played four games, going 4-for-14 (.286) with one double, five RBIs and one run scored. He drove in the winning run in Tuesday’s 4-3, 11-inning win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park with an RBI groundout in the 11th.

When Basallo was recalled, it was planned for him to rotate between catcher, designated hitter and first base. But starting catcher Adley Rutschman went on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain on Thursday, so Basallo will be the No. 1 backstop moving forward.

The Orioles are clearly excited about Basallo’s long-term potential, as the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native has the abilities to turn into a franchise player (and one of baseball’s top stars). He showed that throughout his time in the Minor Leagues after signing for $1.3 million out of the D.R. in January 2021.

"You think back to when Mike came in and there was kind of a lack of a Latin America program. I think there's a lot of significance that the first extension is a guy that came through the brand-new Latin American program," interim manager Tony Mansolino said. "It's a big deal. Sammy wants to be here in Baltimore, and hopefully, in the future, there's other guys, too, that would like to be here as well. It's a big deal for the organization. Hopefully, it's a big stepping stone for us."

Basallo was knocking on the door quite loudly before he got called up, as he was slashing .270/.377/.589 with 17 doubles, 23 home runs and 67 RBIs in 76 games for Triple-A Norfolk this season. He also showed improvement at catcher, honing his skills behind the plate.

Baltimore fans have long clamored to see its young stars signed to extensions, something that hadn’t happened since Elias became general manager in November 2018. The organization underwent a full rebuild, so it took a while to infuse talent throughout the system.

Although the O’s (59-68) have had a disappointing 2025 season -- one filled with injuries -- the future could remain bright. They still have a core featuring Basallo, Rutschman, shortstop Gunnar Henderson, second baseman Jackson Holliday, third baseman Jordan Westburg, outfielder Colton Cowser and more -- players who could sign extensions down the line.

But for now, Basallo is a strong starting point -- especially because the 6-foot-4 slugger has quickly acclimated himself to big league life and has already shown what he’s capable of.

“I just feel great. Great to be here. Just happy to be here,” Basallo said prior to Thursday’s 7-2 loss to the Astros, his Camden Yards debut. “Just excited and just ready to give my 100 percent every time.”

Basallo was met with large cheers throughout Thursday’s game -- as was fellow prospect Dylan Beavers, who clubbed his first MLB home run -- and that will surely continue moving forward, as Basallo continues to improve and get more comfortable in his new long-term home.

"He's a really good player. He seems to fit in really well with this group of players that's here," Mansolino said. "Just seeing Sammy kind of operate in that way, it's been really exciting."