Photography by Bill Vaughan
Every chance catcher Adley Rutschman gets, he watches Orioles’ games in the clubhouse of the Bowie Baysox. That’s as close he can get for the time being. Rutschman, ranked the No. 2 prospect in baseball by MLB.com, might be in line for a September call-up to the big leagues or a regular spot in the lineup in 2022 if he looks ready.
“That’s where you want to be, playing on TV every night with the big-league team,” Rutschman explains. “That’s the ultimate goal and motivation for me every day.”
The expectations for the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Rutschman are huge. The Orioles drafted him No. 1 overall out of Oregon State University in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft and they gave him a record $8.1 million signing bonus. The 23-year-old Rutschman is considered an All-Star caliber talent, a switch hitter with power, and great defensive skills with a knack for handling pitchers.
He started his professional career in 2019 at Single-A Aberdeen, hitting .320 in 20 games to earn a promotion to Delmarva, where he ended the season. In 2020, he worked out at the Orioles’ minor league complex in Sarasota because of the pandemic, then started this season at Bowie.
What’s Up? Media talked to Rutschman about a pending promotion to Baltimore, his development, the positive influence his family has had on him, and where he likes to eat in Annapolis when he stayed in a hotel there while playing for Bowie.
The media has labeled you the future face of the franchise. How do you respond?
I think it’s an extreme honor to have that label put on you. For me, it’s always going to be one of those things I am going to be appreciative of. It doesn’t mean a lot about how I go about my daily business. I am going to do everything the same way. My goals and expectations are going to be extremely high for myself. My mindset is to make the most of every single day and take nothing for granted.
This is your second season in the minors. What are the improvements that are helping you get closer to the big leagues?
It comes down to elevating things mentally. I’m refining parts of my swing and from a defensive standpoint, being able to call a good game and understanding what the pitchers want to do. It’s a huge part of it.
Since there was no minor league baseball season last year. Did you make as much progress in your development?
It’s a different body of work. The sheer number of at-bats and games you get while playing a full minor league season; I wasn’t able to get that during the Covid year at the alternate site. But I was able to make the most out of the opportunities I was given.
You have any superstitions?
I do get into different habits. If I am batting left-handed, I have to put my lead glove or my right-handed glove on first. If I am batting right-handed, I got to put my left-handed glove on first. If I am wearing a certain belt or pair of socks and do good, I will wear them until I don’t do good.
What is your go-to pregame meal?
I like to keep it light and it depends on what time I get to the field. I am a big breakfast person so I will get an omelet from somewhere. First Watch (in Bowie) is a good spot. Sometimes, I will get a sandwich from Chick-fil-A. In college, I would go to Jersey Mike’s a lot. Chipotle is another one
Since you were staying in an Annapolis hotel for a bit, what food places did you frequent in town?
There’s a couple good breakfast spots. Iron Rooster is one of them. Double-T Diner is another. I also like Mission Barbeque and Whole Foods. Whole Foods is so much fun. You can just walk around and explore it.
What do you for fun when not playing baseball?
I love hiking and golfing and I love exploring trying to find new food places.
Your younger sister Josie made you a TikTok celebrity last year. Was it fun being a social media sensation?
My sister introduced me to the app and we had a good time with it. There wasn’t a lot of stuff to do during the quarantine time. So, we just hung around and made it a fun thing to do. Social media is not really my world. I am a baseball player.
Can you talk about the role of your parents in helping get to this point?
My parents are the most influential people in my life. They have taught me to work extremely hard from a young age. I have just tried to walk in their footsteps. Having role models like them has really helped me out.
Photography by Bill Vaughan
What was the first thing you bought when you got your signing bonus?
One thing I wanted to do is improve my training in the offseason. I didn’t want to skip on training equipment during Covid. We built a weight room in our garage, and this offseason I got a cold tub and a sauna.I also wanted to spend it on memories and getting better quality time with people. I flew a couple of buddies out to Las Vegas for a comedy concert. We also went for a week in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
You were a kicker on the Oregon State football team as a freshman. What was that experience like?
It was a crazy experience. I was going to Oregon State for baseball, but in July (2016) I got a call from the special teams coach asking me if I wanted to try out for the team for kickoffs. When I was in high school, they came to see a guy on my team, David Morris, a stud. That’s when they saw my leg. At Oregon State, I won the kickoff job and did it for a year. Once I started playing baseball, I gave it up.
