Why The Orioles Should Extend Adley Rutschman Right Now

Adley Rutschman was the second-ranked prospect in the 2019 MLB Draft. He made his debut on May 21st and finished the season with a .254/.362/.445 line. Ritschman is a switch-hitter who is good at walking and striking out. The Orioles should sign him to a long-term contract. The team should also give him a contract extension. It is the right time. MLB teams are starting to sign their young stars to long term contracts earlier and earlier into their service time, as a result of which players like Wander Franco, Julio Rodriguez and Fernando Tatis Jr. are getting paid more.

Adley Rutschman is almost 25 years old and is a potential free agent. He can sign a contract extension similar to Rodríguez or Tatis Jr. or a bridge deal. Long-term contracts for catchers are risky and not every one turns out to be a winner. Chris Davis' seven-year contract with the Orioles turned out not to work out well. The most recent contract of the organization did not turn out so well, with ChrisDavis' $161 million deal turning into an albatross. It was signed by Scott Kingery and the Phillies.

Adley Rutschman is heading to arbitration years and he could be a free agent in his early 30s. The Orioles want to extend him and avoid a situation similar to the Blue Jays with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. Ritschman has only played one season in the big leagues but he's already established himself as one of the top catchers in MLB. The team has a history of climbing the payroll ladder and they were above the $100 million mark from 2013 to 2018 and hit almost $180 million in 2017.