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Birds Watcher

Baltimore Orioles: Hitting and Pitching Prospects of the Year

By Chuck Boemmel

BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 03: Fans enter the ballpark before the Toronto Blue Jays play the Baltimore Orioles during their Opening Day game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 3, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 03: Fans enter the ballpark before the Toronto Blue Jays play the Baltimore Orioles during their Opening Day game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 3, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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Baltimore Orioles
BALTIMORE, MD – JUNE 28: Fans hold up signs during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cleveland Indians at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 28, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) /

Norfolk Tides third-baseman Ryan Mountcastle is hands-down our Baltimore Orioles Minor League Hitter of the Year.

Without a doubt, the most talked-about prospect in the Baltimore Orioles system was Ryan Mountcastle.  In fact, there was a collective disappointment in Birdland when he was not included in the team’s September call-ups.

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The 22-year-old, 2015 first-round draft pick, did nothing but hit all season long.  Mountcastle produced a .312/ .344/ .527 slash line with 25 home runs and 83 RBI for the Tides.  The team leader in games played (127) also led the team in most offensive categories: runs (81), hits (162), doubles (35), home runs, RBI and total bases (274).  The downside is that he also led the team in strikeouts with 130 while managing only 24 walks.  That relative lack of walks was the lone criticism of him as a hitter and a point of contention among the fan base all season long.

Mountcastle paced the entire Orioles organization in runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs, and RBI while placing among the Top 5 in the International League in runs scored, hits (1st), doubles, RBI, total bases (1st) and batting average.  He was named the International League’s MVP on August 27th for his outstanding season.

Currently the Orioles fourth-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, Mountcastle was both a mid-season and end-of-season IL All-Star.  The one question that remains is when will all of this translate into a spot in Baltimore; only time will tell.

Mountcastle’s 2019 offensive performance has earned him the title of Birds Watcher MiLB Hitter of the Year.

Next. Cedric Mullins Hits For The Cycle. dark

While the Ryan Mountcastle selection was a fairly easy pick, the top pitching performance was a bit more tough to make. Orioles pitching prospects had success up and down the farm system this season with big strikeout numbers, low home run totals, and many notable improvements not just in their numbers but mechanics, as well. Now we wait until next season where we hope to see a few of these pitching prospects make the jump to the big leagues.

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