Orioles should avoid this potential Adley Rutschman trade partner like the plague

The Baltimore Orioles admitted that they have an Adley Rutschman problem the moment they signed top prospect Samuel Balsallo to a long-term extension. Since the extension, rumors have run rampant that the former No. 1 overall pick will land on the trade block, with at least one MLB insider pegging him as the most in-demand position player to hit the market.

Should Rutschman actually become available, the suitors are likely to come out of the woodwork. Numerous contenders could use a long-term solution behind the dish, with many believing that getting out of Baltimore could revitalize Rutschman's once-promising career.

One team's fan base is clamoring to make a move for the Orioles backstop, and with the erratic Arte Moreno at the helm, the Los Angeles Angels could certainly jump into the fray. Whether or not it makes sense for them is irrelevant. The Angels rarely do the logical thing, which is a big reason that they're in their current predicament - baseball no man's land.

Would the Angels be interested in a potential Adley Rutschman trade?

With that said, there are legitimate reasons why Los Angeles's second team could want Rutschman, but the more pressing question is, do they have anything that would actually be of interest to Baltimore? It might appear so on the surface, but a deeper look reveals the flaws in considering the Angels to be a legitimate trade partner.

The Angels have their own once-promising young catcher in Logan O'Hoppe, but after consecutive seasons where he fell off a cliff offensively as the season wore on, they may be souring on him. On top of that, O'Hoppe isn't a strong defensive presence behind the plate. It could be the case that the rigors of catching every day have put a strain on his bat, as the 25-year-old has a minuscule 4.7% walk rate and a sky-high 32.0% strikeout rate.

So, while the reason the Angels might be interested is clear, the more pressing question is whether or not they have the goods that Baltimore would want. The top priority for the Orioles is fixing their broken pitching staff.

The Angels have viable options, but a deeper dive reveals that the Orioles should steer clear

At face value, there might be a match here. Los Angeles has near MLB-ready arms in the form of Caden Dana, Sam Aldegheri, and George Klassen. That should be exactly what Baltimore is looking for, right?

Not exactly. Dana made his MLB debut at the end of last season as a 20-year-old after posting a 2.52 ERA in Double-A. While that cup of coffee didn't go well (9.58 ERA in 10.1 innings), that shouldn't be surprising for a pitcher who is that young. Dana entered 2025 atop the Angels prospect rankings, giving credence to the idea that he was the real deal.

Meanwhile, Aldegheri landed in Southern California following a 2024 deadline deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Italian-born lefty quickly showed strikeout stuff and shot up the Angels' prospect list as well.

However, the Angels have no idea how to properly develop pitching and have used these two potential gems the way most teams use Quad-A journeymen arms, calling them up whenever the bullpen is short to take a beating out of the pen in a blowout.

That's had its negative effects. Dana has a 5.58 ERA at Triple-A and posted a 7.50 mark across six innings of big league work. Aldegheri has gotten the same treatment, despite never appearing in a Triple-A game. The southpaw has a 4.05 ERA in 21 Double-A starts, and a 10.38 mark over two major league appearances out of the pen.

Dana has fallen to sixth on the Angels' Top-30 prospect list, while Aldegheri has tumbled to 15th. George Klassen's stock has held steady, but after a collegiate career filled with injuries and control issues, the 23-year-old is the furthest away and owns a 6.09 this season at Double-A. Given how the Angels have handled their other prized pitching prospects, it wouldn't be wise to trust them with his development either.

This isn't a new phenomenon for the club either. Their last crop of talented young hurlers has also stalled, with Jack Kochanowicz struggling mightily this year, Jose Soriano dealing with inconsistency despite elite stuff, and Reid Detmers finding a second life in the bullpen after being completely broken as a starter.

All of that is to say, the Orioles should steer very clear of the hyped up young pitchers the Angels might try to sell them.

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