{"id":107696,"date":"2025-09-25T23:58:32","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T03:58:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=107696"},"modified":"2025-09-25T23:58:32","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T03:58:32","slug":"orioles-rookies-report-kids-will-be-alright","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/09\/25\/orioles-rookies-report-kids-will-be-alright\/","title":{"rendered":"Orioles Rookie Report: The Kids Will Be Alright"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buried within the Baltimore Orioles’ lost 2025 season is a small glimmer of hope for their future: their two rookies. The team called up outfielder Dylan Beavers<\/a> and catcher Samuel Basallo<\/a> in August when their playoff hopes were mostly dashed. It was a move to gauge their readiness for MLB and to identify areas for improvement in 2026.<\/p>\n

The good news is that the first glimpses of them in the majors netted positive results. For a team that needs to fill holes both at first base and in the outfield, Basallo and Beavers can fill them. Their rather quick starts signal a potential turnaround for the team in 2026, perhaps also saving money to invest in their rotation in free agency.<\/p>\n

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Sep 25, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Dylan Beavers (12) rounds the bases after connecting on a game-winning solo home run in the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Orioles Rookies Look Ahead to Next Season<\/h2>\n

Samuel Basallo Has A Lot To Learn<\/h3>\n

Last time we discussed him in depth, Basallo had 15 games<\/a> under his belt with the Orioles and displayed strong decision-making and an ability to hit the ball hard. There were issues with him in the lower corners and the upper part of the zone. At the same time, he had issues swinging and missing at off-speed pitches like sliders and changeups.<\/p>\n

Now, with nearly 30 games played, some of his weak spots have changed. Most of his problem areas now lie on the bottom half of the zone, especially the inside corner. Basallo still whiffs around 20-30% of the time at the upper half of the zone, but does not strike out often and saw a decrease in his launch angle.<\/p>\n

The 21-year-old whiffs at 67% of the balls that he swings at in the inside corner out of the zone. That marks 14 swings and misses out of 21 swings taken. He has a strikeout rate over 25% across the entire lower half of the zone, along with a 30% whiff rate in the low-center region of the zone.<\/p>\n

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Samuel Basallo is such a good bad ball hitter it\u2019s crazy. Roughly 17 homers on pitches outside of the zone since the start of the 2022 season and a lotttt of hard hit baseballs like this. pic.twitter.com\/KyHNCuEGYy<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) August 19, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n