American League
Sign in
Sign in and connect Sleeper to unlock personalized fantasy insights.
32 articles
BAL • Catcher • #29
2 days ago
Basallo’s home run was a 375-foot shot off Andrew Painter that left the bat at 105.7 mph, and then he added a 108.7 mph double later in the game. The 21-year-old has acquitted himself well this spring, and with Coby Mayo now slated to start at third base until Jordan Westburg (elbow/oblique) returns, Basallo has a much clearer run at playing time. Ryan Mountcastle remains, and we don’t know when Westburg will return, but if Basallo hits early in the season, he could find himself starting against all right-handed pitchers.
LAA • Catcher • #29
14 days ago
Aldegheri gets the boot from the active roster a little earlier than expected, but it was always unlikely that he was going to make the active roster. The 24-year-old will get a chance to help the Angels at some point in 2026.
BAL • Catcher • #29
14 days ago
Basallo was repeatedly checking his hand after it got hit directly while he was trying to block a pitch, so there may be some imaging done after the game, but it doesn’t appear to be an issue. The 21-year-old had another strong day at the plate, ripping a 109.5 mph single before driving in two runs with a 100 mph ground rule double. He figures to spend the vast majority of his time as the designated hitter this season.
Source: Roch Kubatko
BAL • Catcher • #29
15 days ago
It’s a relief for fantasy managers after Basallo was removed from Thursday’s spring contest following a home-plate collision. The 21-year-old top prospect has been diagnosed with right side abdominal discomfort but doesn’t appear to be dealing with an oblique-related issue. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring the situation but early indications are that he managed to avoid serious injury.
Source: Jake Rill
BAL • Catcher • #29
16 days ago
Basallo left Thursday’s game after a play at the plate that had him grabbing at his side. On Friday morning, the 21-year-old said he was “feeling good after getting checked by the medical team yesterday.” Basallo reportedly felt cramping as part of the discomfort, but “everything is good,” so, yeah, that’s good.
Source: Jake Rill
BAL • Catcher • #29
17 days ago
Most importantly, Albernaz doesn’t believe Basallo will undergo any testing. If that holds true, Basallo has likely emerged from today’s scare no worse for the wear. Basallo injured his core while trying to make a lunging tag at the plate. It still wouldn’t be surprising if he missed a few days.
BAL • Catcher • #29
17 days ago
He made a lunging tag at the plate on a relay and stayed down for a bit before the trainer came over. Basallo left the field walking gingerly. We’ll have more as it becomes available, but it’s possible that he’ll miss real time with a core injury.
Source: Roch Kubatko
BAL • Catcher • #29
17 days ago
He made a lunging tag at the plate on a relay and stayed down for a bit before the trainer came over. Basallo left the field walking gingerly. We’ll have more as it becomes available, but it’s possible that he’ll miss real time with a core injury.
Source: Roch Kubatko
BAL • Catcher • #29
about 1 month ago
Basallo’s ability to generate consistent hard contact at such a young age locks him in as one of the premier fantasy prospects heading into next season. The 21-year-old scuffled in his first taste of the majors last season, managing a .559 OPS with four homers over a 31-game cameo, but the underlying power profile remained firmly intact. Pete Alonso’s arrival clouds the playing-time picture by pushing Ryan Mountcastle and Coby Mayo into reserve roles, though Basallo — who signed an eight-year, $67 million contract last August — still appears to have a path to regular at-bats splitting time between catcher and DH. He’s in intriguing high-upside late-round selection in all fantasy drafts this spring.
Source: MiLB.com
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
Basallo sat out Thursday’s game with a sore wrist after he was plunked by a pitch during Wednesday’s contest against the Rays. X-rays came back negative for any fractures though and the pain and swelling have subsided enough for Basallo to return to the Orioles’ lineup as the designated hitter on Friday evening. He’ll bat eighth against Will Warren and the Yankees.
Source: MLB
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
Basallo was hit by a pitch during Wednesday’s game against the Rays, but x-rays came back negative for any fracture. Whether or not Basallo actually plays tomorrow is anybody’s guess right now. The Orioles do not need to rush back their top prospect if he’s anything less than 100 percent.
Source: Roch Kubatko
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
Basallo appears to have dodged serious injury after being hit by a 96 mph offering from Rays closer Pete Fairbanks during the ninth inning of Wednesday’s contest. The 21-year-old top prospect may need some time off for the pain and swelling to subside, but he’s likely going to be fine, which is a relief for the Orioles and fantasy managers alike.
Source: Jake Rill
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
Basallo immediately exited after taking a 96 mph pitch off the right hand area. The 21-year-old top prospect will presumably head for X-rays to determine whether he suffered any fractures.
Source: Roch Kubatko
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
Basallo’s home run was his fourth of the year. He hit a solo home run off Cam Schlitter in the fifth inning. Basallo is hitting just .188 in the first 96 at-bats of his big league career, but he’s shown off his power with four homers.
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
The 21-year-old rookie backstop clobbered a 420-foot (108.3 mph EV) two-run blast off of Shane Smith in the fourth inning that gave the Orioles a 4-2 lead they would never relinquish. That would be his only hit in four at-bats in the ballgame. He’s now hitting .188/.250/.365 with three homers and 13 RBI in his first 92 plate appearances with the Orioles.
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
Basallo’s fly down the left field line was originally ruled foul by the shielded third base umpire, but replay showed Tommy Pham tipped the ball with his glove and it landed fair anyway. Even if Pham had caught the ball while sliding, it still would have been a game-winning sac fly for Basallo with Jorge Mateo on third. Basallo had previously been retired on a 102-mph groundout, a 102-mph flyout and a 99-mph lineout tonight before his 76-mph fly won it.
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
Basallo sat out Sunday after having his right hand hit by a foul ball while he was catching in Saturday’s game.
Source: Roch Kubatko
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
It’ll be Alex Jackson handling the catching duties in this one. Basallo figures to receive some extra time off to rest and recover after suffering a right hand injury during Saturday’s game when he was struck by a foul ball. The 21-year-old top prospect has shown some flashes of immense long-term potential, but he’s also batting just .204 (11-for-54) across 16 games in his first taste of the big leagues.
Source: MLB.com
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
The 21-year-old backstop took a foul ball off of his hand during the fifth inning of Saturday’s game against the Dodgers. Fortunately, he was able to avoid any structural damage. He’s considered day-to-day.
Source: Roch Kubatko
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
X-rays came back negative for any fractures, according to a team statement. The 21-year-old prodigy took a foul ball off of his throwing hand during the fifth inning of Saturday’s game against the Dodgers. Fortunately, he appears to have avoided serious injury based on initial imaging. He’ll presumably undergo further evaluation and treatment this weekend before a decision is made whether he’ll require a trip to the injured list.
Source: Roch Kubatko
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
Basallo had batted just once in the ballgame before exiting, drawing a walk. The 21-year-old backstop will presumably head for X-rays to see if there’s any structural damage. All fantasy managers can do now is wait and hope for the best. Alex Jackson took over for him behind the dish on Saturday night.
Source: Jake RIll
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
Basallo remains locked in the lower-third of Baltimore’s lineup despite crushing a walk-off homer against Dodgers closer Tanner Scott during Friday’s series opener. It’s worth noting that fellow top prospect Dylan Beavers also continues to find himself at the bottom of the lineup card on a consistent basis. That should change next spring, but the Orioles aren’t going to give them too much of a challenge over the next three weeks.
Source: MLB.com
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
Have yourself a moment, young man! Basallo has not had the easiest first few weeks in the big leagues with a batting average hovering around .200, but this 433 foot moon shot to send his Orioles to victory was a great reminder that he certainly belongs. It was a great at-bat by him too: he fell behind 1-2 after an ugly chase, fought off a tough, 97 mph fastball at the letters from Tanner Scott, and then blasted the next fastball that mistakenly came in right down the middle. It was also cool that it came off the left-handed Scott, making this the first lefty-on-lefty home run of Basallo’s young career. His future is certainly bright.
BAL • Catcher • #29
6 months ago
Basallo kicked off the scoring by scalding a 110-mph two-run double into the right-center field gap against Padres starter Dylan Cease in the second inning. The 21-year-old prodigy is hitting .217 (10-for-46) with one homer and eight RBI in 13 games at the outset of his big-league career.
BAL • Catcher • #29
7 months ago
Congrats to Basallo on his first homer of his major-league career. It’s probably not the last. The 21-year-old took Tristan Beck deep to extend Baltimore’s lead to 5-1, and he now has driven in six runs since being promoted by the Orioles in the middle of August. There are very few backstops — and hitters, period — who have as much upside as Basallo.
BAL • Catcher • #29
7 months ago
Basallo will make his first big-league appearance at the cold corner after splitting his first eight contests between catcher and DH. The 21-year-old prodigy still has enough defensive question marks behind the plate that he’s likely to wind up at first base down the road. He’ll retain catcher eligibility for at least a couple seasons, which is the most important variable for fantasy purposes at the moment.
Source: MLB.com
BAL • Catcher • #29
7 months ago
The long-term extension is now official. The 21-year-old phenom, who debuted last weekend, is viewed as a future cornerstone bat capable of anchoring the middle of Baltimore’s order. While he’ll get opportunities at catcher early in his career — splitting time with Adley Rutschman — it’s widely expected he’ll transition to first base over time to preserve his offensive upside and prevent injury. His combination of elite raw power, frequent hard contact, and decent plate skills make it easy to forecast Basallo as one of the premier fantasy backstops beginning in 2026.
BAL • Catcher • #29
7 months ago
The long-term agreement, which kicks in next season, includes a club option for 2034 and maxes out at $88.5 million. Universally regarded as one of the game’s elite prospects, Basallo arrived in the majors last weekend and projects as a middle-of-the-order run producer. The 21-year-old prodigy will open his career with some run behind the plate, but a long-term move to first base feels inevitable to reduce injury risk. With top-of-the-scale raw power, the ability to consistently generate hard contact, and respectable plate skills, he profiles as a top-tier fantasy catcher for 2026 and beyond.
Source: Jeff Passan
BAL • Catcher • #29
7 months ago
Basallo takes a seat after going 3-for-9 with a double and four RBI in a pair of contests to open his major-league career. The 21-year-old top prospect — the youngest position player in the majors — drew his first career start behind the plate at historic Fenway Park during Monday’s series opener. He’s expected to serve as Adley Rutschman’s primary backup over the final six weeks of the season and will also split time at first base and DH. He should be rostered in all fantasy formats.
Source: MLB.com