It’s difficult to completely shun the pressure that accompanies a resume like Samuel Basallo’s.

When the Orioles signed him out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Jan. 15, 2021, he received $1.3 million, at the time the largest bonus Baltimore had invested in an international prospect. He was 16 years old.

Some are already dubbing him the “Dominican Adley Rutschman,” as he plays catcher with a similarly imposing 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame. Not to mention, now just past this 19th birthday, he has already scaled prospect rankings, from fringe top 100 to No. 48 overall, according to Baseball America. He ranks fifth in an Orioles farm system that’s rated the best in baseball.

Basallo was called up to High-A Aberdeen from Low-A Delmarva on Aug. 1, and he might already be one of his team’s most versatile threats.

In Tuesday’s 8-6 win over the visiting Wilmington Blue Rocks he starred as the designated hitter. On Wednesday he played first base. On Thursday he slid back to his primary role at catcher.

“He puts so much pressure on himself to be successful and he wants to help the team win,” IronBirds manager Roberto Mercado said. “When he strikes out, he’s in the dugout really upset. I gotta reel him in, give him a minute to settle down and let him know he’s still a big part of this game.”

Sometimes Basallo uses his highly touted physical strength both offensively and defensively. But sometimes — maybe after a poor plate appearance or defensive mistake — he’s fairly hard on himself.

When asked about his performance Tuesday night, he shrugged. Through Mercado’s translation, Basallo said the day didn’t start great for him.

“I don’t know why he said that,” Mercado interjected with a laugh following Basallo’s two-RBI, two-run performance. “He had three hits right off the rip.”Turn to Basallo, Page 2

Then he worked a full count before nearly taking the head off Blue Rocks pitcher Kyle Luckham, lining an RBI single to center.

But Basallo’s focus fell back on his sixth-inning strikeout right after acknowledging he struggled mightily in pregame batting practice.

“We’re just teaching him how to fail,” Mercado said. “Obviously this game is about failure, and we promote that. We want you to fail; it’s not going to be easy. We don’t want to make it easy.

“But he’s done a great job dealing with that and we’ll continue to work on it.”

“The first week here was a little tough getting used to how everything is, and I was a little nervous,” Basallo added. “After that I’ve been getting better every day.”

In 98 games this season he’s slashing .299/.385/.504, good for a .889 OPS. Since his call-up to High A, he’s at .298/.394/.509, launching his lone IronBirds home run and 13th of the year Aug. 12 against the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Basallo’s father had him play baseball from a young age as an outlet for his endless energy. By the time he was about 13, Basallo realized how much bigger and stronger he was than his peers.

Strength is Basallo’s most intriguing attribute. As a backstop, his throws to second base have clocked in as high as 86 mph, approximately the average of some of the majors’ top catchers, according to Statcast. He can also chase a ball out of the zone and still manage to put it over the fence.

“Basallo hits the ball really hard,” MLB.com scouts wrote. “His top offensive tool is his potential plus power, which wowed scouts by registering triple-digit exit velocity readings with wood bats as a 16-year-old.

His 6-4 frame creates an imposing presence in the box and produces precocious strength. Strong hands help him drive pitches consistently, and he’s quieted his front side since turning pro, eliminating a high leg kick with an eye toward improving bat control.”

When Basallo first signed with the Orioles, he was constantly out in front of pitches. Most of his improvements have revolved around controlling and getting used to his body.

“The raw strength he has is absolutely amazing,” Mercado said. “From the first week, you can already see his growth and maturity. ... He plays the game so hard.”