Orioles top prospect Mountcastle named IL MVP

(Photo: Norfolk Tides)

Baltimore Orioles No. 4 overall prospect, Ryan Mountcastle, has been named International League MVP and the first baseman on the circuit’s Postseason All-Star Team.

Mountcastle, 22, is having a breakout year in his fifth season with the Orioles organization. Spending the whole season with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, Mountcastle has slashed an impressive .308/.340/.528 in 121 games played.

The once drafted shortstop, now first baseman has hit a career-high 25 home runs and 80 RBI in 526 plate appearances for the Tides. Mountcastle is two big flies away from tying the Norfolk Tides single-season home run record set by Pedro Alvarez in 2017, when he hit 27 with the club.

(MLB Pipeline)

Mountcastle leads the International League in hits (153) and total bases (262). He is on pace to be the first Tides player to lead the IL in hits since Mike Servenak in 2007, when he tallied 157.

Mountcastle also leads the entire Orioles farm system in hits, home runs, RBI, and extra-base hits. He was already named Orioles Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America August 22, while also matching Norfolk’s franchise record for home runs in a single game, with three in a game against Louisville earlier this season.

Mountcastle is the first Tide to be named International League MVP since IL Hall of Famer Roberto Petagine earned the award in 1997. Other Tides to earn IL MVP honors include Butch Huskey (1995), Tom O’Malley (1989), Randy Milligan (1987) and Mike Vail (1975). 

Ryan Mountcastle- O’s No. 4 ranked prospect

With a home run record in his grasp and a historic season soon under his belt, there is another thing Mountcastle has to think about, that being a September call-up.

Orioles GM Mike Elias has stated earlier this season that there is no timeline for Mountcastle, and the organization will not rush him due to the state the major league team is in currently.

There is always that lingering possibility that Mountcastle could ultimately get the call, but O’s fans should not get their hopes up too high.

Mountcastle is currently the No. 68 overall prospect in all of baseball, and with the great season he’s having, his name will be one to remember in Birdland.

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Jared Watson

I was born and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I'm currently enrolled at Delaware Technical Community College in the Communications program studying to become a professional broadcaster.

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