Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman recorded his first big-league hit on Saturday night, just hours after being promoted from Triple-A, by tripling against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Rutschman’s first big moment in the majors came in the seventh inning, when he hit a ball down the right-field line off reliever Ralph Garza Jr. Outfielder Brett Phillips had trouble picking up the ball, allowing Rutschman to motor all the way to third base on what was officially scored as a triple.
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Rutschman was promoted to The Show earlier on Saturday. He was ranked by CBS Sports as the No. 1 prospect in baseball entering the spring. Here’s what we wrote at the time:
Rutschman, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 draft, is on the precipice of stardom. Evaluators have maintained that he would someday feature four plus or better tools (everything but the speed), as well as an excellent feel for the strike zone and field-general qualities. Rutschman, Las Vegas Raiders Jerseys a switch-hitter, has lived up to expectations. He batted .312/.405/.490 in 43 games at Triple-A, suggesting the only thing standing between him and the majors is the Orioles’ desire to suppress his wages. (And, now, a triceps strain that will compromise his spring.) Even they won’t be able to hold down Rutschman for long; he’s the future of the catcher position.
Rutschman, 24 years old, had hit .309/.427/.515 with three home runs and more walks than strikeouts in 82 plate appearances in the minors. He’d recorded just three triples in his professional career prior to Saturday night, with two of them coming in Triple-A last season.
Although the triple was Rutschman’s first hit, it was not his first time on base. He drew five-pitch walk in the fifth inning against Jeffrey Springs.