BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Orioles have officially agreed to terms with catcher Samuel Basallo on a long-term contract extension that spans eight seasons, covering 2026 through 2033, with a club option for 2034.
Basallo, 21, made his Major League debut on August 17 in Houston, marking a historic milestone as the first homegrown international signee to reach the big leagues under the leadership of Executive VP & GM Mike Elias, VP of International Scouting Koby Perez, and VP of Player Development Matt Blood. He currently ranks as the No. 7 overall prospect by Baseball America and *No. 8 by MLB Pipeline, and is widely regarded as the top catching prospect in baseball.
“This agreement with Samuel signals the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Orioles baseball,” said Orioles Control Owner David Rubenstein. “I commend Mike Elias, Koby Perez, and our entire baseball operations team for securing a foundational piece of our future.”
Basallo signed with Baltimore as an international free agent on January 15, 2021, out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. After debuting in the Dominican Summer League, he transitioned to the Florida Complex League in 2022 and quickly rose through the ranks. His breakout 2023 campaign featured 53 extra-base hits—including 20 home runs—across 114 games with Single-A Delmarva, High-A Aberdeen, and Double-A Chesapeake.
By mid-2023, Basallo had cracked the top 50 prospect rankings on both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America, and surged into the top 10 by mid-2024 following his appearance in the All-Star Futures Game.
Off the field, Basallo also completed the Orioles’ educational initiative for international players, earning his high school diploma in June 2024. He is one of 30 graduates of the program since its launch in 2020.
“We’re thrilled to commit to Samuel long-term,” said Mike Elias. “His journey—from international signee to big league debut—is a testament to the strength of our scouting and development pipeline. I’m grateful to David Rubenstein and our ownership group for supporting this investment in a player who represents the future of Orioles baseball.
