He went 5 for 5 on Opening Day. In the weeks since, he leads all American League catchers in OPS, the undisputed keystone of the hovering Orioles. He is, in different phrases, a nearly nauseatingly profitable prospect in a recreation that extra ceaselessly nauseates once-successful possibilities for years prior to they in finding their means.
“There’s not much I don’t admire,” stated Orioles Manager Brandon Hyde, a former minor league catcher.
Teammates reward his humble demeanor, say his oldsters raised him proper, say he is identical particular person when he’s succeeding as when he’s failing, the easiest franchise participant. Or so it could appear. Because when requested if Rutschman had any weaknesses, teammates recognized a number of primary shortcomings that would blur his so-far unrelenting sheen.
“I haven’t seen him play ping-pong or pool yet. We have a ping-pong table in the clubhouse. We have a pool table at home,” Orioles outfielder Austin Hays stated. “He could be bad at one or both of those. Those are possibilities.”
This is lifestyles with Rutschman, who started his primary league occupation with near-impossible fanfare — and easily took off his masks, became round and absorbed it. He was once passed the keys to an bettering primary league pitching group of workers as a extremely touted prospect at age 24 and didn’t battle to stroll the skinny line between being too assertive with extra veteran pitchers and taking regulate as a franchise catcher.
In truth, he emerged from his first months within the large leagues having established a singular regimen of jogging out to pitchers after each inning, striking an arm round them and speaking issues out. He changed into identified as a lot for his wisdom of the strike zone as the uncommon switch-hitting catcher as he did for his hugs.
“He’s everything you want in a number one prospect,” Hays admitted. “He’s even got a great head of hair. He’s got it all.”
But no longer everybody was once so sparkling of their reviews. Asked if Rutschman had any weaknesses, Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore’s second-round select in that 2019 draft who got here throughout the Orioles device with Rutschman, hesitated.
“Well, there is this video game …”
After some prodding, Henderson admitted the sport was once “Call of Duty.” He stated that whilst Rutschman might beat him in virtually the whole thing else, Henderson incessantly beats him there. In different phrases, when requested to listing his largest weaknesses, one of Rutschman’s nearer skilled buddies printed a big one: capturing folks in a digital conflict recreation.
“If Gunnar’s the one who said ‘Call of Duty’ — yeah, that’s what I thought,” Rutschman stated, when requested for his reaction to the allegation. “Gunnar just likes to get under my skin. I will have lots of choice words for him.”
Rutschman knew precisely who introduced that critique. He had guesses about which of his teammates introduced others, and he was once most commonly proper. Rutschman is aware of the Orioles’ clubhouse neatly, partially as it was once principally his clubhouse from the instant he entered it. He is the participant newshounds encompass each day, prior to video games and after. He is the only fanatics name via his first title. He by no means gave the impression of a rookie. He all the time simply gave the impression able.
“He makes it look really easy. That’s one thing. He makes catching really good major league arms look extremely easy,” Hyde stated. “He receives very well. His blocking is outstanding. He’s got a very strong arm and it’s extremely accurate. And that’s just the physical stuff.”
“There’s so much to handle being a catcher, and he handles it with ease,” Hyde added. “That’s the most impressive thing.”
Despite being on the heart of the Orioles’ rebuild, Rutschman has been much less inquisitive about their choreography. He has participated of their now mythical sprinkler party, pretending to be the arm of the sprinkler after an extra-base hit as his teammates spit water in unison at the bench. He can lead that one simply advantageous. But something Rutschman, a religious Marvel fan, can’t do with superhuman ease, is rhythmic spitting.
“He struggles with it,” his good friend and teammate, Terrin Vavra, stated. “He is getting better. But for a long time, him and John Means, we just wanted to get a video of them.”
Rutschman was once cautious to not concede “Call of Duty” supremacy to Henderson. But when faced with Vavra’s overview, he leaned again.
“The sprinkler thing, I was not good at. But I’m working on it,” Rutschman stated, so deadpanned it gave the impression he may had been really concerned with it at one level. “Improving. I’m improving.”