The Baltimore Orioles are looking to build upon their successful 2023 season.
The Orioles stunned most of MLB last year by finishing with the best record in the American League.
Baltimore won 101 games last year, which was the first time they won 100+ games since 1980.
One reason for the success of the Orioles is their elite young players.
In particular, catcher Adley Rutschman.
He is arguably the best catcher in baseball and is projected to have another great season in 2024.
According to Codify, the projected WAR for Orioles catchers in 2024 is 5.4.
That is good enough to lead MLB.
Rutschman is a big reason for that number being so high.
Projected 2024 catcher WAR (via FanGraphs):
5.4 BAL
4.9 TOR
4.4 ATL
4.3 LAD
4.2 SEA NYM
4.0 MIL
3.8 HOU NYY
3.7 SF STL
3.4 TEX CLE
3.2 ARI
3.1 MIN
3.0 SD
2.7 PHI
2.6 DET PIT
2.4 KC TB MIA
2.0 LAA CHC
1.7 OAK WSH
1.3 CIN
1.0 BOS
0.0 CWS
-0.1 COL pic.twitter.com/tObOToaVy6— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) January 17, 2024
Not only is Rutschman a great defensive player but he can also hit at a high level.
He is a switch-hitter who has flourished from both sides of the plate.
Last season, Rutschman played 154 games, which is rare for a catcher.
But, he spent 46 of those games as a designated hitter.
He also hit 20 home runs, with 80 RBI, and had an OBP of .374.
Rutschman can seemingly do it all on a baseball field.
He is entering his age-26 season next year and already has two top-12 MVP finishes under his belt.
For the Orioles to return to the top of the AL, they need Rutschman to continue dominating.
It is rare to have a catcher as an MVP candidate.
But, Rutschman has shown that he will consistently be in the conversation each year.
The Orioles have a great young roster, and they should be in World Series contention for years to come.
NEXT: Orioles Reach New Agreement With Rising Star