The Orioles don’t have to solve their catching future with just one name, and Ethan Anderson is making sure of that.
Baltimore entered the stretch with a clear need for MLB-ready help behind the plate heading into 2027, and the organization has already started shifting in a new direction after dealing franchise catcher Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox. Samuel Basallo appears positioned to get every chance to win the starting job, but Anderson is forcing his way into the conversation as another real option.
The 23-year-old just earned a big piece of recognition, being named Orioles Prospect of the Year by MLB.com. That honor stands on its own, but it carries even more weight when you consider Anderson missed more than a month with an ankle injury in the middle of the season.
Once he came back in August, he didn’t need much time to get rolling again. Over his final 25 games, he hit seven home runs and drove in 22 runs.
Across three minor league levels in 2026, Anderson posted a .919 OPS, a strong sign that his bat is ready to play. Baltimore’s 2024 second-round pick has also shown a good feel for the strike zone.
He’s not a polished, elite patient hitter, but he works counts well enough, draws walks and puts the ball in play. In 727 career minor league at-bats, he has struck out 155 times.
That offensive profile has helped put him on the map as a possible answer to the Orioles’ depth problem at catcher. He may not carry the label of a can’t-miss prospect, but he has shown enough to look like someone who can stick.
Anderson’s case got louder last year in the Arizona Fall League, where he handled some of the best prospects in baseball and produced a .300/.398/.443 line in 70 at-bats for the Peoria Javelinas. He also led the team with seven doubles. He then took that momentum back into the 2026 season.
For Baltimore, the path for Anderson opens even wider because Carlos Narváez struggled badly in his short time with the club in 2026, making him an unlikely long-term piece behind the plate. That leaves Anderson as a name worth watching.
Basallo still has his own question marks. His injury history makes it too soon to call him the Orioles’ long-term catcher, even though he has shown an ability to block balls in the dirt and throw out runners at a decent rate.
Framing remains a problem, though. He ranked as the fifth worst catcher in baseball in that area, and that can cost a pitching staff strikes.
At 22, though, there is still time for his defense to catch up.
Fangraphs still views Basallo as a valuable player for the Orioles in the future, projecting him for at least 20 home runs and 80 RBIs a year even if his position changes. That opens the door for Anderson to carve out a role of his own. He is not considered a premium defender either, but scouts believe he could grow into an average catcher.
At the very least, Anderson looks like a high-floor backup who can contribute with the bat. And after the way he moved through 2026, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he keeps climbing and gives Baltimore even more to think about in 2027.
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