Orioles promote top prospect Samuel Basallo for MLB debut

HOUSTON (AP) — Baltimore’s top prospect Samuel Basallo will make his MLB debut Sunday after the Orioles selected his contract from Triple-A Norfolk.

Basallo, rated Baltimore’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 8 prospect in baseball by MLB.com, is a catcher and first baseman, but was batting sixth and serving as the team’s designated hitter Sunday in the series finale against the Astros.

“This is the first big Latin American signing that we’ve had that shows up and it’s a really good one,” Baltimore interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “So we’re excited about him. We expect him to be competitive and do well.”

His promotion comes a day after the team brought up No. 3 prospect outfielder Dylan Beavers.

Basallo, a 21-year-old from the Dominican Republic, hit .270 with 23 homers and 67 RBIs in 76 games for Norfolk this season. He will be the team’s backup catcher behind star Adley Rutschman and get work at first base.

“Adley will function as our No. 1 catcher because that’s what he is,” Mansolino said. “He’s a really good catcher. Basollo will function as the No. 2 catcher, catch day games, Adley won’t catch four in a row, things like that.”

Mansolino added that Basollo would start at catcher Monday night at Boston and that he’d get him in the lineup at first base during the team’s next homestand.

Also on Sunday, the Orioles reinstated OF Colton Cowser from the 7-day concussion list and optioned OF Daniel Johnson and 1B/OF Ryan Noda to Norfolk. They also transferred right-hander Zach Eflin (low back discomfort) to the 60-day injured list.

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