As Samuel Basallo walked into the room, past a group of his Orioles teammates while wearing a light-colored jacket with a crisp button-down shirt beneath it, Colton Cowser couldn’t help himself.

“El Suave,” the outfielder called out to his teammate of less than a week. That broke through the serious façade on Basallo’s face for just a moment, bringing a laugh that reminded those present that these are all, more or less, still kids.

Basallo is 21. He’s also the first player to sign a long-term contract extension with the Orioles since 2012. In agreeing to an eight-year, $67 million deal, he represents a beacon of light in a dark season for Baltimore’s fans and, perhaps, becomes an example for the rest of the players in that room.

Ahead of the press conference for Basallo, most of his teammates and Baltimore’s coaching staff filtered in to take a look at what had not been seen here in quite some time. What they heard from owner David Rubenstein and general manager Mike Elias is that the Orioles aren’t hanging their hat on Basallo alone.

What Basallo saw more than heard was the support of many. His parents, brother and girlfriend. His agents. His teammates and coaches.

“It feels really good and really special to have all my teammates here, coaches, trainers,” Basallo said through team interpreter Brandon Quinones. “I know I just got here, but having them here really does mean a lot to me. I think, over the next eight years, we’re all going to try to do our best as a group to give everything that we have to try and win as much as possible.”

The Dominican Republic native spoke of the honor he felt in receiving interest from the Orioles in such a deal and of the increased responsibility that comes with it. Rubenstein emphasized the financial muscle he and the rest of the ownership group are willing to flex, and Elias said the Orioles don’t intend for Basallo to be the last one here. International scouting director Koby Perez harked back to earlier days, when Baltimore had little if any presence in Latin America.

These are some of the key statements from Basallo’s time with media Saturday.

Keeping players here

In a room full of young stars, Rubenstein mentioned important names from the past: Jim Palmer, Brooks Robinson, Cal Ripken Jr.

“We’ve had a tradition of having players who spent their entire career here, and we hope Samuel as well,” Rubenstein said.

The eight-year contract includes a club option for 2034, so it could keep Basallo in Baltimore until he’s 30. Looking around the room at catcher Adley Rutschman, shortstop Gunnar Henderson and infielders Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg, to name a few, led Rubenstein to issue a thinly veiled message.

“We’ve got a lot of other talented people on the team who we hope will ultimately want to spend their entire career here or spend long-term arrangements with us, and we’re committed to doing more of these as soon as we can,” Rubenstein said. “The Orioles ownership group is really well capitalized. We have the resources to do these kind of deals.”

The reality, as Rubenstein went on to say, is that “it takes two to do deals.” Basallo was interested in sealing this one, so that is why he was on the dais between Elias and Perez.

The deal came together quickly. Elias said the Orioles waited until Basallo debuted Sunday in Houston to approach him and his representatives. By Friday, the deal was confirmed.

“A lot has happened over the last few days, but it’s a blessing, for sure,” Basallo said. “I thank God, once again, for this opportunity. I thank the organization for this opportunity. And I’m looking forward to what’s to come, and I’m looking forward to continuing to work hard and doing what I can.”

Additionally, this sort of investment could send a message to other players in free agency. The Orioles will have a full to-do list this winter to build their team for a return to the postseason. Elias said the ownership group has given the front office the flexibility to operate aggressively.

That extends beyond contracts, although Baltimore saw its payroll increase ahead of the 2025 season. Renovations to minor league and spring training facilities were made, too.

“This is all on the table thanks to this group,” Elias said. “We will continue to try to make shrewd investments and run the franchise responsibly, but we want to win. We want to win in Baltimore and in the AL East, and we know that requires the whole spectrum of investments, moves that you make as an organization, and we hope we’re just getting started.”

What Basallo means to others

The Orioles’ international reach was limited before Perez joined the organization in 2019, but even then it takes years for a return on investment. Basallo was unexpectedly available after the New York Yankees lost some of their international signing pool money to acquire Gerrit Cole.

Baltimore’s interest in Basallo immediately after that helped establish a relationship when international scouting verbal commitments can be made years in advance.

“The Orioles weren’t scouting very much in Latin America, so initially we needed to get buy-in from the agents, the trainers that we were serious about this,” Perez said. “We’re very fortunate in the beginning because Mike made many trips to the Dominican and he hit the ground with us, like his old days being a scout, and I think that really put us over the top because, obviously, there was a lot of competition for Basallo’s services. But I think the fact that Mike was there and went to scout him personally really put us in the driver’s seat when it came to the negotiations.”

The Orioles sealed Basallo with a $1.3 million signing bonus in 2021. It’s their first major success story in international scouting. It shouldn’t be the last after the creation of an extensive Dominican Academy.

“To have him have been so successful and get to this moment really means a lot for our entire program in Latin America and the Dominican Republic,” Elias said. “Sam knew that it would be a big responsibility being the symbol of our program, and he’s been terrific ever since joining our system.”

Perez said there was a party at the Dominican Academy for Basallo’s debut and, over the past few days, Basallo has heard from many of his Dominican teammates.

“I hope that my career will help them be more motivated to continue working hard and try to get to this level as well,” Basallo said. “But it’s been great to hear from them and I hope that I can be that sort of example for them and hope that they can work really hard to get here as well.”

Where Basallo fits

Basallo will have a run as the first-string catcher for the Orioles while Rutschman is on the injured list for an oblique strain, but that doesn’t mean Rutschman is out of the equation. Basallo and Rutschman will split catching duties next season, and Basallo can play first base as well.

Plus, with a designated hitter spot, the lineup construction will be flexible.

“We feel so confident in the group of guys here,” Elias said. “From my point of view, the more the merrier when it comes to good players. We’ve got a lot of guys here, Samuel included, who are really good athletes who can play multiple positions, and the fact we have multiple great catchers is a good thing.”

Elias said he sees Basallo as a “pretty good first baseman, too.” But they’re “very encouraged with his catching.”

But where he plays on defense may matter less than having his bat is in the lineup. Basallo hit .270 with a .966 on-base-plus-slugging percentage this year at Triple-A Norfolk, and he has made an immediate impact in the majors. Basallo has four hits in five games with five RBIs.

“When we make that investment in somebody like this, we want to be sure there’s the offensive profile that we’re looking for and some positional flexibility, and he gives us all those things,” Elias said. “That’s why it’s such a special talent.”

Clubhouse excitement

Interim manager Tony Mansolino wasn’t surprised to see the throng of players in the room to witness Basallo’s press conference. Even in a losing season, Mansolino said, he believes there is a strong sense of unity among players.

Although some may have wondered if an extension for one player might bring jealousy from others, Mansolino said the players here are too mature for that, even if many of them are young.

“I think a lot of them want that [an extension], because they want to be here, because Baltimore is a good place to be and this team’s going to win,” Mansolino said. “We had an ugly month and a half in April and half of May but, outside of that, it’s kind of been back to usual ways in a lot of ways, in spite of the injuries, in spite of everything kind of surrounding us. So guys want to stay. They want to be here. I just think they are good teammates.”

Showing up for Basallo’s moment before Saturday’s game was one way of showing that.

Henderson, a linchpin of this lineup, said “it felt like it was only a matter of time before they started investing in the guys. And he’s an incredibly talented player and super deserving of it.”

Henderson declined to speak in specifics regarding his own contract status or the possibility of an extension, but when asked what is important to him when considering a long-term organization, Henderson emphasized the winning culture.

“That’s the No. 1 thing for me, being on winning teams,” Henderson said. He added that “if they bring it [an extension proposal] there, then I’ll definitely look at it with my team and be happy to look over it.”

This article has been updated.