How the Orioles Latest Extension Shapes the Future for Their Rising Core

In a season that has been anything but perfect for the Baltimore Orioles, marked by injuries to key players both on offense and on the mound, and a 60-71 record, the seventh-worst in MLB, fans have been looking for any bright spots heading into 2026. Recently, the Orioles’ fanbase has gotten just that with the call-up of two of their top Minor League prospects: outfielder Dylan Beavers and catcher Samuel Basallo. Just a week into their Major League careers, both young players have made quick impressions. Beavers hit his first MLB home run during his home debut on Friday night against the Astros, while Basallo has shown off his elite power, recording six hits and five RBIs in his first eight games. Adding to Basallo’s impressive start, the 21-year-old made major headlines on Friday morning with the announcement of a long-term contract extension. The move marks a pivotal moment in Mike Elias’ tenure as Orioles general manager and has fans and analysts alike wondering what this means for the team’s other young stars who may be eyeing extensions of their own.

The news of Samuel Basallo’s newly signed eight-year, $67 million contract, which could reach up to $88.5 million, marks a historic moment. It’s now the largest pre-arbitration deal ever given to a catcher in MLB history and signals a pivotal juncture for the Orioles’ front office. Over the past year, criticism has mounted around general manager Mike Elias and ownership for what many see as a lack of urgency in locking up the team’s core homegrown talent, including Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg, and Adley Rutschman. Basallo’s deal also sets a franchise milestone. It’s the first long-term extension signed during the Elias era and ranks as the fourth-largest in Orioles history, trailing only the contracts of Miguel Tejada, Chris Davis, and Adam Jones. With Basallo now the first major talent to receive a commitment from Baltimore’s new ownership, players like Henderson and Holliday are likely wondering when their long-anticipated payday will come.

When looking at the remaining young stars on Baltimore’s roster who may be eyeing future deals, either with the Orioles or elsewhere, the biggest hurdle for Mike Elias and the front office is that many of them are represented by agent Scott Boras. Boras is known for advising his clients to avoid signing early-career contract extensions. Instead, he typically encourages them to accrue service time and test the free agent market, where their value is often highest. This strategy has led many rising stars to leave mid- or small-market teams for big-market franchises like the Dodgers, Yankees, or Mets, teams with the payroll flexibility to consistently offer massive contracts. Orioles fans have experienced this type of situation before. While Manny Machado was not a Boras client, he began his MLB career in Baltimore, developed into a star, and ultimately left via trade to the Dodgers in 2018. At the time, then-general manager Dan Duquette and the front office were unable to agree to a contract extension with Machado and his representatives, an outcome fans still remember as a missed opportunity.

The signing of Samuel Basallo to a contract extension offers a potential signal of hope for Orioles fans, who are eager to see the team’s young core remain in Baltimore for the long haul. With general manager Mike Elias and new owner David Rubenstein under significant pressure to go all-in this winter, following a deeply disappointing 2025 season, securing the long-term future of players like Gunnar Henderson could go a long way toward regaining the trust and support of a fanbase that has grown frustrated watching homegrown stars leave. If Elias and company are able to deliver the kind of blockbuster offseason that Rubenstein hinted at on Saturday, saying, “I think people are going to be really happy in Baltimore with what we field next year,” then the Orioles could prove that 2025 was just a blip on the radar in an otherwise sustainable path toward long-term success.