Overview

• Basallo was promoted to Baltimore’s roster and debuted Sunday, marking the culmination of his rise from a franchise-record $1.3 million international signing in 2021.
• In his first game, he was hit by a pitch in his opening at-bat, then popped out in foul territory and grounded into a double play.
• Houston outfielder Jesús Sánchez leapt at the right-field wall to rob what would have been Basallo’s first career three-run home run.
• He arrives with a .966 OPS and 23 homers in Triple-A this season, backed by elite exit-velocity metrics that rank in the 90th percentile.
• Baltimore’s front office plans to rotate him among catcher, first base and designated hitter as it gauges his defensive readiness.