Samuel Basallo is moving one step closer to the big leagues.

Basallo, the Orioles’ No. 3 prospect and the No. 11 overall according to MLB.com, is moving up to Triple-A, a source confirmed to The Baltimore Banner.

MASN was first to report the news.

Basallo has big power potential, the 20-year-old hitting .289 with 16 home runs in 106 games with Double-A Bowie this season. He was the Orioles’ representative in the Futures Game, the showcase for the sport’s biggest rising stars.

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Basallo is primarily seen for what he can do with his bat, because his catching skills have always been slightly behind what he can produce as a hitter. He played multiple positions growing up and didn’t spend as much time focusing on catcher until he was in the Orioles organization.

“There’s a catch-up process to learning how to call a game behind the plate,” general manager Mike Elias said during spring training. “He’s doing that, but his bat is even more advanced. I think that’s going to be an interesting theme this year. He’s a very, very special talent. He’s one of the very best minor league players in all of baseball right now.”

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Basallo hasn’t had as much time at catcher this year as in the past due to a stress fracture in his throwing elbow that he suffered last offseason. It set back the start of his season and kept him out of the field once he returned. He’s been the designated hitter in 30 games, caught 45 and played 27 at first base.

If he performs well in Norfolk, he could find himself competing for a roster spot next spring. James McCann will be in the final year of his contract, and the Orioles could be in search of a second catcher to complement Adley Rutschman.

Basallo was the first phase of the Orioles’ push back into the international market. The team signed him when he was 16 in 2021 out of the Dominican Republic for a $1.3 million bonus, then the highest international signing bonus in team history. They’ve since signed Braylin Tavera for $1.7 million in 2022 and Luis Ayden Almeyda for $2.3 million in 2023. The Orioles also opened a new academy in the Dominican Republic this year, allowing them to better compete in the region.

Andy Kostka contributed reporting.