Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles is not only a firm Rookie of the Year candidate in the American League: he has been one of the most impactful first-year players in recent history.
If you don’t believe us, just consider that before his call-up, the O’s were 16-24.
Now?
They are 65-59, which means they are 49-35 in the Rutschman era.
Talk about transforming an entire franchise!
The first pick of the 2019 MLB Draft, Rutschman has been a master of his craft behind the plate: he is an elite framer, he can call a game, pitchers love him, and he is a motivational leader, all at 24 years old.
But not only that: he is also a dangerous hitter, something that doesn’t happen very often with players of his position.
Catchers are rarely asked to do anything beyond calling a good game behind the plate, but Rutschman is a legitimate hitting star.
Before Friday’s games, he is slashing .256/.364/.447 with eight homers, 25 doubles, and 51 runs scored.
He has been 36 percent better than the league average, judging by his 136 wRC+.
Fans Absolutely Adore Rutschman, As He Has Transformed A Dormant Franchise
His contributions have been so valuable that fans are already calling for a monument of Rutschman.
“Orioles fans already making suggestions for Adley’s monument,” Talkin’ Baseball tweeted.
Orioles fans already making suggestions for Adley’s monument 😩
(via @Tim_Leonard4) pic.twitter.com/4bRNCe9Pyu
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 26, 2022
It sounds hilarious, and it’s probably a joke… it is a joke, right?
All kidding aside, Rutschman is on his way to challenging Seattle Mariners star Julio Rodriguez for the AL ROY award.
If he keeps playing like this, there is a good chance there is a monument of him eventually, perhaps 15 or 20 years down the line.
Let’s go step by step, though.
NEXT: The Orioles Look Genius For Promoting Felix Bautista