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Baltimore Orioles: Ryan Mountcastle Just Needed Some Home Cooking

By Chuck Boemmel

BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 31: The Oriole Bird mascot waves a flag on the mound during Opening Day ceremonies before the start of the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 31, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 31: The Oriole Bird mascot waves a flag on the mound during Opening Day ceremonies before the start of the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 31, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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Ryan Mountcastle’s performance during a recent Norfolk Tides’ homestand earned him International League Player of the Week honors. The Baltimore Orioles first base prospect has been hot recently.

The Norfolk Tides, AAA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, are currently 7-11 and sit in 4th place in the International League’s South Division.  The team recently completed an 11-game   at Harbor Park that saw them go 6-5 in games over Toledo (Detroit), Durham (Tampa Bay), and Charlotte (White Sox).

While the record was average, one player’s performance was outstanding.  The play of first baseman Ryan Mountcastle during the homestand and over the past seven days, in particular, earned him the International League’s Player of the Week award (4/15-4/21).

The announcement was made on Monday by the Norfolk Tides.

Mountcastle earned the accolade based on a seven-game performance that saw him hit .370/ .357/ .889/ .1.246 with eight runs scored, two doubles, four home runs, and 11 RBI.

During the entire homestand (11 games) he hit .341/ .348/ .727/ .1.075 with 10 runs scored, three doubles, one triple, four home runs, and 13 RBI.

Mountcastle is considered the Orioles’ #2 prospect by MLB Pipeline.  Long known for his power, Mountcastle is still in search of a position to play.  The Orioles experimented with him at first base during spring training and will continue to work with him there in Norfolk.  His bat is expected to play well in the Major Leagues, the question is, at which position?

A look at the Norfolk Tides statistical leaderboards sees Mountcastle’s name almost everywhere.  For the 2019 season he is hitting .288/ .319/ .545/ .865 with 12 runs scored, four home runs, and 17 RBI.  He currently leads the Tides in games played (18), at-bats (66), runs (12), hits (19), home runs (4), RBI (17), total bases (36) and slugging percentage (.545).  His RBI total is good for second in the entire International League and as I highlighted earlier today, his OPS (.911) is among the top five marks in the Baltimore Orioles organization.

Mountcastle earned this honor and if he continues to play like this, we will see him in Baltimore much sooner rather than later.

Next. O's Pitchers Prepare For Big White Sox Lineup. dark

A player earns a promotion by making the organization notice him.  Play like this gets you noticed. The Baltimore Orioles just have to find a place for him. I am certain they will.

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