Samuel Basallo and Creed Willems receive promotions
Today's transaction update has to do with two well-recognized catching prospects in the Baltimore Orioles' Minor League organization. One is on the move to Norfolk while the other is on the move to Bowie as both advance a step further in their careers towards The Show. Let's look at who is moving on up in the Minors for the Orioles.
Samuel Basallo (O's No. 3, MLB Pipeline No. 11)
Basallo, 20, was notified of his promotion following the Baysox' 8-6 loss on Sunday. The No. 1 catching prospect in baseball, the power-house slugger has spent all season with Bowie to this point. He was a .280 hitter with a .757 OPS through 45 games in April and May, and he really got things going after that and hit .296 with an .868 OPS and a .493 slugging percentage afterwards. This has accumulated to a .289 clip with Bowie paired with an .820 OPS, 16 home runs, 55 RBI, and a .465 slugging percentage. His talent has been well-recognized with a selection to the 2024 Futures Game, an Eastern League Player of the Week selection last week, and prospect rankings across the board. It has been a special season for the young backstop, and he looks to continue that success with the Norfolk Tides, the last thing standing between him and the Baltimore Orioles.
Basallo will give you power and hard contact. He extends the hands on pull side contact and uses the momentum in his hips to muscle the ball. When he makes contact with the ball, you better be paying attention on defense because that ball is coming at you hot. Basallo will not be afraid to go the other way either, and he has beaten defensive shifts many times this season. There are still concerns over his defense behind the plate, specifically his blocking and pitch framing. That can be fixed and once it is, then the Orioles truly are working with an elite catching prospect that could provide much-needed aid to current Orioles catcher and former No. 1 pick Adley Rutschman.
Creed Willems (Orioles No. 23)
Willems, 21, has risen as a fan-favorite in the organization thanks to his power bat and his fun-loving personality on the field. An 8th round pick out of high school in 2021. Willems first joined Aberdeen last summer. His first go-around at High-A was rough as in 75 games for Aberdeen last year, he was just a .192 hitter with a .586 OPS. This season has been much better for the left-handed swinger. He is a .238 hitter with a .788 OPS. His 13 home runs and 51 RBI lead the Ironbirds, and his 18 doubles are second on the team. The month of August has particularly treated Willems well. Since he returned from a hamstring injury, he has hit .275 in 13 games with an .895 OPS and 7 RBI. He had a .475 slugging percentage during that stretch. Willems has now slugged his way into Double-A after spending nearly a year with Aberdeen. He will split time at catcher, first base, and designated hitter with fellow backstops Silas Ardoin and Connor Pavolony.
Willems can flat-out hit. He is a power hitter first before anything, but he can also work his way on base a lot. Willems likes anything on the inner half of the plate and does pull-side damage, though he has some trouble with the outside pitch especially when pitchers pull the string. Defensively, Willems' defense has improved a ton since he arrived in Birdland. He smothers balls in the dirt, his framing is smooth as butter, and he can throw well. Willems is well on the rise in Birdland and as previously mentioned, a fan-favorite. Someone who never shies away from the fans and signs autographs like a factory, the backstop has a ton of fan support as he continues his climb in the organization.
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