Orioles Player Profile: Ryan Mountcastle
Ryan Lee Mountcastle was born on February 18th, 1997, in Winter Springs, Florida. Mountcastle was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles with the 36th overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Paul J. Hagerty high school. At the age of 18, Mountcastle spent 53 games in rookie ball and single-A Aberdeen. He hit .296 with 4 home runs and 19 RBIs in those games.
Ryan Mountcastle spent all of 2016 with the Delmarva Shorebirds. In 115 games with the Shorebirds, Mountcastle hit .281 with 10 home runs and 51 RBIs. The 19-year-old was red-hot out of the gate but struggled in 2017. After batting just .222 in 39 games with the Bowie Baysox (AA), he was sent down to the Frederick Keys to find his footing. Frederick was the high-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles from 1989-2020, but now they’re a semi-pro team. Mountcastle regained his confidence in Frederick, slashing .315 with 15 home runs and 47 RBIs. He continued his success with the Baysox and then with the Norfolk Tides (AAA) in 2018-19. On August 21st, 2020, Mountcastle was ready to make his major league debut.
After only playing in 35 games in 2020 (due to the shortened season), he impressed and made the club in 2021. In his rookie season Mountcastle put his power on display hitting .255 with 33 home runs and 89 RBIs. He finished as the runner-up in the AL rookie of the year voting behind Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena. Ryan had a strong sophomore season in ’22 batting .251 with 22 home runs and 85 RBIs.
Ryan Mountcastle’s third season in the majors was not as smooth as the first two. After struggling in the first half of 2023, he was placed on the IL with vertigo. Mountcastle was on the injured list with vertigo until the beginning of August, but made his presence felt in his return. After missing a month-plus, Mountcastle hit a scorching .360 with 5 home runs and 19 RBIs in the month of August. The hot month helped him finish with a .270 average, good for 3rd best on the team behind Austin Hays and Adley Rutschman. Not originally known as a defender, his defense at first base has significantly improved since he came into the league. Ryan Mountcastle is very valuable because he can play first base and DH occasionally. With all of the prospects the Orioles have, there’s a lot of questions of who will play in the infield. It’s safe to say that Ryan Mountcastle has claimed his spot at first base.
