Hyde says 'there's everything to like' about Adley Rutschman originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
From the moment the Orioles selected Adley Rutschman No. 1 overall in the 2019 MLB Draft, the consensus was the catcher was going to make his presence felt at the Major League level.
A year later, that reputation is only growing, despite Rutschman missing out on his first season of Minor League play due to the coronavirus pandemic. His work in instructional leagues and camps has impressed many, so much so that some scouts are already labeling him as one of the best catchers in baseball. Reminder: he has not appeared in an MLB game yet.
From what Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has seen so far, he believes Rutschman has lived up to the hype early on.
“There’s everything to like," Hyde said on 105.7 The Fan.
“He’s a premium prospect in the game and there’s every reason why.”
The manager hasn't gotten a chance to see Rutschman perform in live-game scenarios just yet, but he has studied his time in instructional ball as well as Baltimore's two Spring Training camps in 2020. In that time, it became clear that his reputation for being an all-around player was true.
In all phases of the game, as well as how he carries himself, Hyde sees someone with top-level talent.
“He’s gonna be a special defender, he’s going to hit from both sides of the plate with power and the knack to put the barrel on the baseball," Hyde said. "And he’s an A-plus human being on top of it."
Whether or not Rutschman is a part of Hyde's lineup in 2021 is yet to be known. However, the manager understands one thing is certain: he's going to make an impact for the Orioles sooner or later.
“I don’t want to go too on and on about the guy, but he’s got a chance to be really special in this game," Hyde said.
