Orioles deal with Samuel Basallo is the exact blueprint Reds need to copy

The Baltimore Orioles became the latest team to take a leap of faith by locking up a top prospect to a long-term deal after signing catcher Samuel Basallo to an eight-year, $67 million contract. Baltimore’s AL East rivals in Boston inked similar deals with several of their young stars, including Roman Anthony, and superstars across the league, such as Bobby Witt Jr. and Jackson Merrill, are playing on team-friendly deals.

When Sal Stewart makes his seemingly fast approaching MLB debut, it will be time for the Reds to join the trend. In some ways, Stewart will step into a similar situation to Basallo’s, who took over primary catching duties when Adley Rutschman went on the IL this week. Basallo’s positional versatility – he can play first and has the bat to serve well at DH – will enable him to stay in the lineup when Rutschman returns (unless he is traded).

Stewart, who spent much of his time in previous seasons at third base but added second base to his resume last year, will do a similar dance with Ke’Bryan Hayes and Matt McLain.

The Reds should take a cue from the Samuel Basallo deal and extend top prospect Sal Stewart

Both Basallo and Stewart are seen as middle-of-the-order bats with advanced bat-to-ball skills and significant power potential. Basallo likely has a bit more value than Stewart because of his ability to play catcher, but with McLain’s down season and Hayes’ offensive weaknesses, Stewart might have more value to his current team. Imagine Stewart contributing a .375 on-base percentage while setting the table for Elly De La Cruz.

So, what would a long-term deal for Stewart look like? Red Sox second baseman Kristian Campbell, just 22 years old, inked an eight-year, $60 million extension earlier this season. The 21-year-old Stewart, who has yet to even make the majors, could command a deal of a similar length.

Deals with players that have not debuted are rare, but not unheard of. Colt Keith and Jackson Chourio both committed to their clubs before suiting up in their big-league uniform. I’m not advocating for the Reds to pursue that route with Stewart. He has yet to prove himself as a second baseman, and other prospect struggles (such as McLain’s decline) may make the Reds a bit gunshy. Still, locking in another young player and maintaining a tight budget could set the club up for success for years to come.

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