Adley Rutschman talks World Series goals, leadership styles, Corbin Burnes and the bittersweet nature of the Burnes trade (Exclusive)

Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman turned 26 in February and is entering his second full season in the majors. The switch-hitting catcher has fewer than 1,200 big-league plate appearances in 267 games.

Five years ago, he was in his junior year at Oregon State, months before he was selected first in the 2019 draft by Baltimore, a club that had lost a franchise-record 115 games in 2018.

The Orioles dropped 108 or more in their next two full seasons, before Rutschman debuted on May 21, 2022, and seemingly shifted the club’s trajectory.

The Orioles finished above .500 that year for the first time since 2016. Last year, they won the American League East and posted 101 regular season victories, their most since 1979. In the 267 games Rutschman has played for the Orioles, the club is 158-109 (.592 winning percentage).

Heading into 2024, the Orioles are one of the favorites to win the AL, and Rutschman has become the face of the franchise along with fellow 2019 draftee Gunnar Henderson.

Rutschman made his first All-Star Game in 2023 and is widely considered to be the best backstop in the game. And it seems like he is just scratching the surface of the player and leader he can be.

In a lengthy interview, Rutschman discussed World Series goals, a tweak to his swing, the camaraderie within the Orioles clubhouse and the bittersweet nature of the Corbin Burnes trade with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Editor’s note: The following one-on-one has been edited and condensed.

Q: It seems like each spring training you have been at a different step in your career: Making an impression, attempting to make the team, being the starter and now as a crucial part of an established team. How has this spring been different for you?

Adley Rutschman: It’s similar to last year in the sense that I played in the big leagues and it’s a similar pitching staff. Obviously, there are a couple of new guys. But really, we’re continuing to build on our process from last year. I think we’ve got a lot of confidence coming into this year.

We know what we want to do. We know the process that we did last year, and we’re just building off of that and trying to be the most prepared and the best we can be heading into the season.

Q: Again, talking steps here. In your first year, the Orioles won more than they lost. Last year, they won 101 and the division crown. What would constitute success for this club in 2024?

Adley Rutschman: Baseball is so tough to set goals as far as statistics go because you can do everything right and hit a ball hard and line out to someone and it doesn’t show up in the stats. It’s tough to make very process-oriented goals in baseball. But I think we do the best we can with that.

We really try to compartmentalize, and I think for us that’s assessing at the end of each day, ‘Did we show up in the right mental state ready to play? Did we prepare the right way? Did we do everything we could in spring training to prepare? Did we show up that day and compete?'

I think if we’re answering yes to those questions, I think whatever results come about because of that, I think we are going to be happy with it. Because we did everything right that we could. We have a talented group, and we’re controlling what we can control on a daily basis.

Q: You did all that last year, won 101 games, and then lasted only three games in the playoffs. How difficult was that for you and how long did that feeling of disappointment last?

Adley Rutschman: That’s not something you’re ever gonna forget. I still remember losing in 2017 to LSU in the semis of the College World Series (while with Oregon State). I know something like that stings a lot. But I also know it motivates guys and we learn from our mistakes. We learn from the experience. And we are coming into this year ready to go and trying to make another run at it.

Q: If you don’t at least get to a World Series this year, is that a disappointing season?

Adley Rutschman: Our goal for every season is to win a World Series, and if you’re not winning the last game of the year, well, that’s the standard, that’s the goal. I think we can look back and be proud of the way we went about stuff. But as far as our goals and our aspirations are concerned, we’re trying to win a World Series.

We know we have a talented group, and you want to end winning. I think our guys are extremely motivated. That’s the reason we’re working as hard as we do, because that’s the goal we have in mind. You don’t get there by just hoping on it.

Q: I know you continually say you can always be better in every aspect, but is there one area where you really wanted to improve this offseason?

Adley Rutschman: When I say I want to get better in every aspect, I don’t just say that and not have a plan. Like, ‘Oh, I want to get better in every aspect,’ and then I go about the offseason with no specific plan.

I’d say with our hitting coaches, it’s very specific. When it comes down to right-handed and left-handed swings, I have specific things I am focusing on. Catching-wise, I have specific things I am focusing on.

Over the course of this offseason, left-handed, I really honed in on my back leg. The gist of it is holding position in my back leg and how I land on my front leg. And right-handed, it’s about slotting my hands.

Q: Would you consider those significant changes?

Adley Rutschman: I’d say there are slight adjustments but adjustments you’d really have to study. Looking at it, you’re not going to be like, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is a massive swing change.’ But it does feel different when you step into the box.

That’s the thing about swings. When you make minor swing adjustments, sometimes it feels like a big swing adjustment, but it doesn’t really look like that way. When you get down to it, and you see the positions that you are holding throughout your swing, it feels different when you are in the box.

Q: Are you more comfortable now in all aspects of being a big leaguer: in the box, behind the plate and leading in the clubhouse?

Adley Rutschman: I would say I’m definitely more comfortable playing at the big league level with this being my third year. I have a better idea of what to expect.

As far as being a leader in the clubhouse, my goals, it’s kind of what I said about our team. I want to show up at the ballpark with a good attitude. I want to control the controllables. I want to work hard. I want to make sure by coming to the ballpark prepared, people know that I’m ready to play every day and I bring energy and I control those aspects.

I’m not like a big vocal guy when it comes to saying stuff. I think the biggest thing about leadership is knowing what kind of person you are and knowing what your strengths are. For me, you don’t want to seem unauthentic. I think people can really tell when you’re trying to reach on an aspect, and it doesn’t seem genuine.

And I don’t think you ever want to come off as not genuine. If you do something, you want it to be genuine. You want people to feel it, and you want people to know that you’re doing something for the right reason. For me, my goal is not to be like, ‘Oh, I have to be this leader.’ For me, I’m just going to be myself and help out wherever I can help out.

Q: You’ve been with many of your teammates for several years now, in the minors and majors. How much easier does that make it to forge those bonds?

Adley Rutschman: It makes everyone that much closer. It makes showing up to the field that much better because you have guys that care about you. You care about them. And that makes everyone closer. And it helps problem-solve during games.

You understand a lot of what’s going through people’s minds. You’re able to ask guys about what’s going on. It makes for a closer atmosphere in the clubhouse, and guys just know they’re going to pick each other up in games. So, it makes it that much better.

Q: What was your reaction when you heard the Orioles had traded two friends of yours, DL Hall and Joey Ortiz, for an ace like Corbin Burnes? Was it bittersweet?

Adley Rutschman: It’s a tough part about the business. Guys get traded, guys you are close with. I love DL. I love Joey. They are All-Star human beings, and I played with them for a long time. There are no better teammates than those guys, and I loved playing with them. You wish them all the best as they move forward in their careers, because that’s what you want for them as human beings and as friends, for them to do well.

But obviously, Corbin is a phenomenal pitcher. I’ve been getting to know him over the past few weeks, and I’ve heard nothing but great things about him. We’re very excited to have him, and he’s going to contribute a lot. It’s our job to continue to play, and I could not be more excited to have Corbin and Craig (Kimbrel) on our staff.

Q: You’ve had a chance to catch Burnes during bullpens and in games. What are your impressions?

Adley Rutschman: The stuff is electric. He has a great mindset, competitive, goes about his business the right way. You can see why he is an All-Star and a Cy Young winner. All across the board, he checks all the boxes. He is going to do great things and we’re excited to see what he does.

Q: How much of a blow to the rotation would it be if Kyle Bradish’s elbow injury keeps him out of the season for any considerable length?

Adley Rutschman: He’s a phenomenal pitcher, a great friend, and you never like to see guys get hurt. It’s tough. It’s tough on everyone. We are praying for him and wishing him the best, and we hope he comes back soon. But guys have always stepped up here. It’s just a part of the culture of this clubhouse, and we’ve got a lot of talent.

Q: How much did you pay attention to baseball moves in the offseason, like Juan Soto now playing for the division rival New York Yankees and facing the Orioles 13 times?

Adley Rutschman: We saw Soto last year (with the San Diego Padres), and we saw him the year before. He’s a great hitter with a great eye. He’s one of the best. But we have to show up, play and compete against everyone.

Q: The Orioles are the defending division champs, have a talented young roster and added Burnes. Yet most win projections and Vegas odds have you finishing behind the Yankees and in some cases behind Toronto and/or Tampa Bay. Does that fire you up?

Adley Rutschman: Expectations and outside noise are always gonna be there. One year it’s going to be, ‘Oh, we’re expected to win 120 games.’ And then the next year we’re gonna be expected to win 80 games.

So, I think if you start valuing what other people say – as far as when they say they think you’re going to be bad or when they think you’re going to be good – you’re gonna be riding a roller coaster. ‘Oh, we are expected to do this, so we should listen to that.’ Or ‘We’re expected to be that so we should listen to that.’

I think our job is to do what we can do. We have a belief in how good we are, and we kind of stay in-clubhouse with that kind of stuff. We show up, we do our business and last year we won 101 games doing that. Because we didn’t listen to what people said, whether it was good or bad. It’s other people’s job to make predictions.

Q: What was your offseason like? I’m assuming there was another Orioles’ wedding circuit again, but what else?

Adley Rutschman: Yeah, had a couple of weddings to attend at the beginning and then I got to do my typical stuff. Work out, start-up with a throwing program and then hitting again, and then it seems like we are right back here (in Sarasota, Florida.)

Q: Did you go anywhere cool just to get away before starting the grind again?

Adley Rutschman: The weddings are kind of like minivacations, but nothing too crazy. Just staying on the West Coast.

Q: Your Oregon State Beavers are off to a hot start (18-2), but they did lose a tough, one-run game to Arkansas earlier this year. Did you get an earful from Heston Kjerstad and James McCann, Arkansas products?

Adley Rutschman: Had to hear it from both of them. It was brutal. But (the Beavers) look good. They are going to be good all year. I’m excited for them.

Q: Have you been able to watch many of Oregon State’s games this spring?

Adley Rutschman: No. It’s tough. Spring training, you have a lot of baseball going on. A lot of things going on. You catch what you can, but I honestly don’t watch a lot of sports. I love playing. I love playing. But watching doesn’t quite do it for me by myself. Socially, if I’m with other people, I’ll watch, but by myself, I don’t.

Q: Anything else about you and this upcoming season?

Adley Rutschman: I’m just excited to get going. We’re now bracing for the next six, seven months.