A big part of the reason why the Baltimore Orioles have been so competitive in 2022 has been the rise of catcher Adley Rutschman.
Rutschman was called up in late May, probably taking him out of the running for the American League Rookie of the Year award.
However, his impact on the Orioles may be as large as Julio Rodriguez‘s with the Seattle Mariners, if not larger.
The Orioles are a winning team since he was brought up.
He has had an incredible season so far, with a .250/.358/.442 line, seven home runs, and a 129 wRC+ (100 is considered league average).
He is also very good at hitting the ball hard for extra-bases and drawing walks.
“Yesterday, Adley Rutschman became the first player in @Orioles franchise history to have at least 30 XBH and 30 walks in their first 70 MLB games. The last player to do this? Yordan Álvarez in 2019. Professional hitter,” MLB Network tweeted.
Yesterday, Adley Rutschman became the first player in @Orioles franchise history to have at least 30 XBH and 30 walks in their first 70 MLB games.
The last player to do this? Yordan Álvarez in 2019. Professional hitter 💼#Birdland pic.twitter.com/AQwgwb2Dt7
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 17, 2022
A Truly Impactful Player
Watching a catcher – a position in which defensive contributions are required and hitting is a nice plus – have the kind of offensive season he is having is a joy.
The first overall pick of the 2019 MLB Draft, Rutschman completely changed the Orioles because he is a defensive and framing star in addition to being a truly competent hitter.
As a result of his great play, he already has 3.0 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in 70 games.
He is still 24: imagine his numbers in his prime.
At this moment, he is looking like a young Buster Posey with his ability to impact games both on offense and defense.
The Orioles, who are still in the hunt for the playoffs, have benefited from probably the most impactful rookie of the 2022 season.
NEXT: Adley Rutschman Is Ahead In A Top Rookie Comparison