Samuel Basallo
Dominican baseball player (born 2004)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Samuel Alexander Basallo (sahm-WELL bah-SY-yo; born August 13, 2004) is a Dominican professional baseball catcher and first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2025.
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| Samuel Basallo | |
|---|---|
Basallo at the 2024 All-Star Futures Game | |
| Baltimore Orioles – No. 29 | |
| Catcher / First baseman | |
| Born: August 13, 2004 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | |
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 17, 2025, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Batting average | .165 |
| Home runs | 4 |
| Runs batted in | 15 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
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Career
Basallo signed with the Baltimore Orioles as an international free agent on January 15, 2021.[1] He made his professional debut that year with the Dominican Summer League Orioles.
Basallo played 2022 with the rookie-level Florida Complex League Orioles and started 2023 with the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds.[2][3] With Delmarva, he was chosen for the 2023 Carolina League Most Valuable Player Award and Top MLB Prospect Award.[4]
Basallo opened 2024 with the Double-A Bowie Baysox.[5][6] In 106 games for Bowie, he slashed .289/.355/.465 with 16 home runs, 55 RBIs and nine stolen bases. On August 27, 2024, Basallo was promoted to the triple-A Norfolk Tides.[7]
Basallo returned to Norfolk in 2025, hitting .270/.377/.589 with 23 home runs and 67 RBIs in 76 appearances. On August 17, 2025, Basallo was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[8] His first MLB hit was a two-run single off Enyel De Los Santos in the eighth inning of an Orioles' 12–0 away win over the Houston Astros later that afternoon. His three-run homer attempt in the previous inning was denied by a Jesús Sánchez catch at the right-field wall.[9] On August 22, Basallo and the Orioles agreed to an eight-year, $67 million contract extension.[10] On August 30, he became the youngest catcher in franchise history to hit a home run.[11]
On September 5, 2025, Basallo hit a walk-off home run with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth inning, leading the Orioles to a 2-1 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was Basallo's first home run at Camden Yards, and the first walk-off home run or hit of his career. [12] He slashed .165/.229/.330 in his first 31 MLB games to conclude the campaign.[13]