Adley Rutschman is paying tribute to Giants legend Buster Posey in more ways than one.
The Baltimore Orioles' rookie catcher, considered the top prospect in all of baseball before debuting in the big leagues this season, listed Posey as his favorite all-time athlete during the 2022 MLB Little League Classic on Sunday night.
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Rutschman's admiration of Posey is evident by the way the 24-year-old catcher plays the game as an elite defensive catcher and a powerful slugger at the plate.
But early in his career, Rutschman has also brought another Posey quality to the field -- the hugs. Just like Posey's famous "Buster Hugs," the Orioles catcher has developed a routine of embracing teammates after closing out victories.
Rutschman did it again Sunday night when the O's defeated the Boston Red Sox 5-3.
Posey is the standard for all young, promising catchers. The No. 5 overall pick by the Giants in the 2008 MLB Draft, Posey won three World Series titles, was named the NL Rookie of the Year, NL MVP and an All-Star seven times over 12 seasons.
Rutschman was 12 years old when Posey won Rookie of the Year in 2010. He went on to win the Buster Posey Award, given to college baseball's top catcher, when it was renamed for the Giants legend in 2019.
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The Posey-Rutschman comparisons will continue as long as the Orioles' young star lives up to expectations. Or as long as he continues to keep "Buster Hugs" alive in baseball.