Cossins catches up media on Basallo, Handley and Rutschman

Tim Cossins can bring a unique perspective as a member of the Orioles’ coaching staff.

Cossins is the major league field coordinator and catching instructor, but he relocated from the dugout to the bullpen during games in 2022. He’s equipped to talk about the relievers, too.

Maybe he also can be described as a Swiss Army knife. The Orioles are carrying a few of them.

Cossins spent a few minutes Sunday morning meeting with reporters outside the visiting clubhouse, his availability leading only to bullpen questions. After he jokingly said that he prepared to talk catching, taking a few steps toward the door, he had to spend three more minutes on that subject.

Let’s not forget his primary function, which also enables him to discuss catchers in the farm system.

Samuel Basallo is the No. 2 prospect in the organization per MLB Pipeline and No. 14 in baseball. He was restricted to designated hitter duty after reporting to spring training with a stress fracture in his right elbow, but he’s behind the plate again for parts of each week. He’s also playing first base and serving as designated hitter.

Basallo had to exit Tuesday’s game after going 2-for-4 with a home run and being hit on the thumb while blocking a ball, but he returned to the lineup on Thursday. He caught Sunday and had a run-scoring single.

“I think it’s a slow ramp back into that, into him full-time catching,” Cossins said. “I know he’s had a little injury history and stuff, but the reports are really good.

“His throwing is back. Now it’s trying to be mature about the workload and the amount of throws.”

Maverick Handley was a sixth-round pick in the 2019 draft out of Stanford who appeared in 69 games with Triple-A Norfolk last summer and played in his 36^th yesterday. He’s ahead of Basallo on the organizational ladder but behind him in prospect stature.

The Orioles really like his work behind the plate. They also approved of his game-tying, two-run single in the ninth inning Sunday.

“Very mature, knows how to catch, knows how to run a game,” Cossins said. “I think with him it’s just getting the reps and staying sharp.”

Cossins said his coaching at the major league level is “different” than what he’s done in past years, with the Orioles having Adley Rutschman and veteran James McCann on the roster. A former No. 1 overall prospect and a guy who’s played for 11 seasons and was an All-Star with the White Sox in 2019.

“Prior to this it was all player development, putting in things that launch a career, and now it’s about just keeping certain elements of the position sharp,” he said. “Quite honestly, it’s not a ton of maintenance, but definitely a daily thing.

“That dynamic’s always an interesting one where you have a veteran catcher who’s just done it longer and the guy who’s just coming in and learning the league. Watching those two interact with each other the last couple years, you can see that the things that maybe Mac has seen and experienced longer, things are starting to come Adley’s way and he’s starting to get those experiences, too, and that’s super helpful. They play off each other really well.

“It’s a really unique dynamic between catchers, and how those guys operate our pitching staff is massively important.”

McCann weighed in Sunday, before moving behind the plate for a combined one-hitter, on his most important responsibility.

"I've said it for years," he said. "A catcher's No. 1 job is managing the pitching staff, managing the game. Offense is icing on the game. Rutch and I spend a lot of time pre-series individually and then together game planning. (Pitching strategy coach) Ryan Klimek is right there with us, and there's a lot of game planning, and a lot of hours go into how to get the best out of our pitchers and to give us the best chance at success against the opponents. And when it comes together the way it did (Sunday), there's not much more as satisfying as that."

Asked about Rutschman’s biggest improvement, Cossins said it’s “just day-to-day.”

“When you watch him day-to-day and take out the individual skills and the things that you see, you just watch him come in every single day prepared to play the game and post every day. He’s improved a ton with his retention in terms of other teams and what they’re trying to do and how we’re trying to combat that.

“He’s improving and he’s come in at such a high level, it’s going to be slow. You’re not going to see a ton of, ‘Oh, that’s really jumped off the page.’ It’s not like that. It’s more over time.”

Shifting to the bullpen, the Orioles have a veteran among the group in Craig Kimbrel, the nine-time All-Star who’s in his 15^th season and pitching for his eighth team.

The impact on the mound is visible to everybody. But there’s also his influence before he warms up and heads onto the field.

“Every time you have a veteran leader that comes out every day and brings it every single day,” Cossins said. “His routine’s exactly the same win, lose or draw. He prepares the same. It’s an even keel thing, and anytime guys see that, it’s helpful.”