Adley Rutschman’s season has turned into a reminder that the Orioles still have a catcher who can change a game in more ways than one.
The defense has been the loudest part of the story. Rutschman, now in his fifth MLB season, has put together what could wind up as the best defensive year of his career, and that’s a big reason he’s headed to his third All-Star Game. He’ll represent Baltimore at the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
A key part of that turnaround has been the work he’s done with Baltimore field coordinator and catching coach Singley, who has been around Rutschman since their college days. On March 10, 2019, when Oregon State and Coastal Carolina met at T-Mobile Park in the Seattle Baseball Showcase, Singley was injured and watched Rutschman closely during a 4-4, 11-inning tie. Even then, he saw a future star.
“You could tell -- the demeanor, the work ethic, the character that he has,” Singley said.
That belief helped shape why Singley joined first-year manager Craig Albernaz’s staff last November. He said Rutschman’s development was a major reason he accepted the role.
“That’s one of the biggest reasons why I jumped on this opportunity, is I’m a big believer in his ability on and off the field,” Singley said. “So to get a chance to work alongside him and watch his progression is something I take a lot of pride in.”
The results have backed that up. Entering Friday, Rutschman had thrown out 16 of 43 potential basestealers, a 37.2% rate that would be a career best and well above the 30.6% mark he posted as a rookie in 2022. He also sits in the 97th percentile in both caught stealing above average and framing, according to Baseball Savant.
The change started in Spring Training, when Singley’s instruction led Rutschman to alter his catching setup and move to a right-knee-down stance for the first time.
“I take a lot of pride in it,” Rutschman said. “For me, hitting is one of those things that you can hit the ball hard and it can still be an out. But I always feel like defense is a lot more controllable, and I really enjoy all aspects of catching and being behind the dish, working with guys and being able to do what you can to help win the game on both sides of the ball.”
Rutschman has given Baltimore more than just elite work behind the plate. Through 63 games, he’s batting .256 with 18 doubles, one triple, eight home runs and a .774 OPS.
It adds up to a strong bounce-back season after a rough stretch. Rutschman came into the year trying to get back to the form he showed in the first half of 2024 and before. He faded in the second half that season, then played only 90 games in ‘25 because of a pair of oblique injuries.
“That was the biggest focus all offseason is just trying to, one, stay healthy, and two, just get myself in a position to be able to have the most success possible,” Rutschman said. “I have a lot of really supportive people helping me with all aspects -- physical, mental, emotional. For me, it’s just a culmination of that to be able to get here now and to just kind of continue to progress.”
Singley said in early April that Rutschman’s pedigree still mattered, calling him “still that guy.”
The last three months have only strengthened that case. Albernaz said Rutschman is still chasing more.
“As the 1-1 and the top prospect and to actually have that work show through immediately and make immediate impact, it’s really tough, especially at the catching position. And so for Adley, it’s awesome,” Albernaz said. “He’s constantly trying to chase his potential, and that’s how you sustain longevity in this game, is you don’t get satisfied with where you’re at, you’re continually trying to find ways to get better and keep pushing.”
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