Peter Schmuck: Samuel Basallo’s reported $67 million contract is a sight for sore Orioles’ fans

It certainly isn’t a new concept. Lots of major league teams have looked into the future and decided to buy low with their most prized prospects. It’s just new for the Orioles, and if Samuel Basallo’s reported eight-year extension is a done deal, it could be a promising sign of things to come.

Since the start of this disappointing season, lots of fans have bemoaned the waste of at least one potential playoff run while the clock has been running on the team’s six years of control over young stars Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser. The $67 million deal that Basallo is expected to sign isn’t necessarily a signal that there are more to come but would be a sign that the team is going to try to keep this generation of potentially great players in Baltimore.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Dylan Beavers is next.

For those who wonder why the Orioles haven’t proffered similar deals to those other players, I’m guessing that – in some cases – they probably have. That conversation with Henderson’s agent, Scott Boras, if there was one, probably lasted about five minutes. Gunnar is projected to be one of those guys who could get a Juan Soto-like deal and he’s already three years closer to becoming a free agent than Basallo.

If this were three years from now and Basallo was in the midst of a string of 35-homer seasons, he would be heading into arbitration and getting close to being very rich already. Henderson can afford to wait for that pot of gold. Basallo has a chance to assure the financial security of himself and his family for generations. It might not have been a no-brainer for his agent, but it had to be for him.

Think about it. Not only has he yet to truly establish himself in the big leagues, but no one can predict the future. This way, there’s no chance of a severe injury cutting short Basallo’s career before he maximizes his value. And, really, he’s only selling two of his free-agent years. If he’s that good, he’ll get what he’s truly worth eventually. Meanwhile, he never has to walk into training camp wondering if he’s going to be in the starting lineup on Opening Day.

For the team, it’s about as safe a bet as could be desired. Not only is Basallo projected to be one of the best power-hitting catchers in the game, he also is projected as an elite first baseman. He could end up being both in this era when roster flexibility is at a premium.

Basallo certainly didn’t hurt his case by walking into the major league starting lineup – alongside Beavers – and instantly producing at the plate. We can’t fool ourselves into thinking he has started hitting early and will never stop. He’ll have his struggles like Henderson and Holliday while he settles in at this level.

But it’s clear from even his limited number of at-bats that he has elite bat-to-ball skills and shows no signs of being too young for the big stage. He has some work to do to become an elite defensive catcher, but the bat has already arrived.

Now, cynical fans can go back to complaining about the lack of top quality free-agent signings during the Mike Elias era, but this might also be a sign that owner David Rubenstein is ready to take the franchise to a new financial level.

We can only hope.