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Baltimore Orioles: Adley Rutschman’s Big Sunday Afternoon

By Jesse Morrison

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 25: The 2019 top overall pick in the Major League Baseball draft, Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles acknowledges the crowd during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 25, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 25: The 2019 top overall pick in the Major League Baseball draft, Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles acknowledges the crowd during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 25, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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Checking in on Baltimore Orioles top prospect Adley Rutschman now that he’s with the Aberdeen Ironbirds.

Baltimore Orioles first overall pick Adley Rutschman has officially kicked off his minor league career. After spending five games in the Gulf Coast League with the GCL Orioles, Rutschman is now in Low-A Aberdeen and while he’s been a little slow to get going offensively, there’s nothing to worry about.

An awards ceremony tour and dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s on his first professional contract delayed his entrance into the professional ranks, only to be delayed even further by a bout of mono before his scheduled debut. He’s now settling into the lineup with the Aberdeen Ironbirds who enter this week with one of the better records in the New York-Penn League (28-21).

Just 12 games in, Rutschman is hitting .195 with two extra-base hits, including his notable home run hit back in his first game in the GCL. Despite the poor batting average, Rutschman has put up excellent on-base numbers since beginning his professional baseball journey. His on-base percentage between his brief time in the GCL and with Aberdeen is .313, thanks to seven walks (plus one intentional walk). He’s drawn five walks in only seven games as an Ironbird (.344 OBP).

His on-base numbers are just one reason to be excited for the rise of the sixth-ranked prospect in all of baseball.  He is seeing the ball well and taking advantage of pitchers already pitching around him. The hits just haven’t come yet, but with a swing like this, it’s only a matter of time.

The home fans got their first taste of what’s to come on Sunday afternoon, watching Rutschman go 2-3 with an RBI and two walks.

Best of all, of the seven baserunners who have attempted to steal against Rutschman, four have been cut down, including taking out Tampa Bay Rays first-round pick Greg Jones out of UNC-Wilmington who has already swiped 13 bases in 31 games.

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Rutschman and the Ironbirds return home this weekend with a three-game set against the Staten Island Yankees.

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