Ryan Mountcastle
{{short description|American baseball player (born 1997)}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Ryan Mountcastle
|team = Baltimore Orioles
|number = 6
|image = Ryan Mountcastle (52252315120) (cropped).jpg
|caption = Mountcastle with the Baltimore Orioles in 2022
|position = First baseman
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|2|18}}
|birth_place = Winter Springs, Florida, U.S.
|bats = Right
|throws = Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = August 21
|debutyear = 2020
|debutteam = Baltimore Orioles
|statleague = MLB
|statyear = April 22, 2025
|stat1label = Batting average
|stat1value = .264
|stat2label = Hits
|stat2value = 575
|stat3label = Home runs
|stat3value = 92
|stat4label = Runs batted in
|stat4value = 333
|teams =
- Baltimore Orioles ({{mlby|2020}}–present)
}}
Ryan Lee Mountcastle (born February 18, 1997) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2020.
Amateur career
Mountcastle attended Hagerty High School in Oviedo, Florida.{{cite web|url=http://web.usabaseball.com/article.jsp?content_id=80738696|title=USABaseball.com: News: Ch-ch-ch-changes: Mountcastle willing to switch|work=usabaseball.com|access-date=July 9, 2015}} He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round with the 36th overall selection of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web |last=Connolly |first=Dan |date=June 16, 2015 |title=O’s sign second first-round pick Mountcastle to $1.3 million deal |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2015/06/16/os-sign-second-first-round-pick-mountcastle-to-13-million-deal/ |access-date=June 20, 2024 |website=Baltimore Sun |language=en-US}} He signed for $1.3 million, forgoing his commitment to play college baseball at the University of Central Florida.{{Cite web|url=https://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=296223|title = Ryan Mountcastle Class of 2015 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA}}{{cite web | last=Connolly | first=Dan | title=O’s sign second first-round pick Mountcastle to $1.3 million deal | website=Baltimore Sun | date=June 16, 2015 | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2015/06/16/os-sign-second-first-round-pick-mountcastle-to-13-million-deal/ | access-date=August 2, 2024}}
Professional career
=Minor leagues=
File:Ryan Mountcastle (cropped).jpg in 2019]]
Mountcastle signed with the Orioles and was assigned to the Gulf Coast League Orioles to begin his professional career. After batting .313 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 43 games in the GCL, he was promoted to the Aberdeen IronBirds, where he batted .212 in ten games to finish the season. In 2016, Mountcastle spent the season with the Delmarva Shorebirds where he posted a .281 average with ten home runs and 51 RBIs along with a .745 OPS in 115 games.{{cite web | last=Meoli | first=Jon | title=Orioles prospect Ryan Mountcastle wrapping successful first full season in Delmarva | website=Baltimore Sun | date=August 15, 2016 | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2016/08/15/orioles-prospect-ryan-mountcastle-wrapping-successful-first-full-season-in-delmarva/ | access-date=August 2, 2024}} In 2017, Mountcastle spent time between the Frederick Keys and the Bowie Baysox, batting a combined .287 along with a career high 18 home runs and 62 RBIs in 127 games between both teams.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/player/ryan-mountcastle-663624|title=Ryan Mountcastle Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|access-date=December 19, 2017}} After the season, he played in the Arizona Fall League and played in the Fall Stars Game.{{cite web| url = https://www.latimes.com/bs-sp-orioles-afl-2017103017-story.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190607024332/https://www.latimes.com/bs-sp-orioles-afl-2017103017-story.html| archive-date = June 7, 2019| title = Ryan Mountcastle, Tanner Scott chosen for Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game - Los Angeles Times| website = Los Angeles Times}}
MLB.com ranked Mountcastle as Baltimore's third best prospect going into the 2018 season.{{cite web | last=Ghiroli | first=Brittany | title=Orioles Ryan Mountcastle top 3B prospects | website=MLB.com | date=January 23, 2018 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/orioles-ryan-mountcastle-top-3b-prospects-c265169618 | access-date=August 2, 2024}} He spent 2018 with Bowie, slashing .297/.341/.464 with 13 home runs and 59 RBIs in 102 games.{{cite web | last=Meoli | first=Jon | title=One for the future: Evaluating Orioles prospect Ryan Mountcastle | website=Baltimore Sun | date=July 10, 2018 | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2018/07/10/one-for-the-future-evaluating-orioles-prospect-ryan-mountcastle/ | access-date=August 2, 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2019/01/after-strong-double-a-year-ryan-mountcastle-is-closer-to-the-majors.html | title=Home }} In 2019, Mountcastle spent the season with the Norfolk Tides, and switched to first base.{{cite web | last=Trezza | first=Joe | title=Ryan Mountcastle plays 1B at Orioles camp | website=MLB.com | date=February 19, 2019 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ryan-mountcastle-plays-1b-at-orioles-camp-c304157854 | access-date=January 25, 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/sports/norfolk-tides/article_57b2fe9e-62d3-11e9-b98c-4bcaab8dfd28.html|title=O's prospect Ryan Mountcastle already making noise with Norfolk|first=David|last=Hall|website=pilotonline.com}} After slashing .312/.344/.527 with 25 home runs and 83 RBIs over 127 games, he was named the International League Most Valuable Player.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-tides-mountcastle-20190420-story.html|title=Tides' quiet Mountcastle speaks loudly with his bat|first=David|last=Hall|website=dailypress.com}} Following the season, he was added to the Orioles 40–man roster.{{Cite web |last=Meoli |first=Jon |date=November 2019 |title=Orioles protect top prospects Ryan Mountcastle, Keegan Akin, two others from Rule 5 draft |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-rule-5-protections-20191120-flcdbbs6tvh5xmgorxeq7jc3ji-story.html |access-date=November 20, 2019 |website=The Baltimore Sun}}
=Baltimore Orioles=
On August 21, 2020, Mountcastle was promoted to the major leagues and made his MLB debut same day.{{ cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-call-up-prospect-ryan-mountcastle | title=Mountcastle has solid debut, with pranks | work=MLB.com | author=Joe Trezza | date=August 22, 2020 | access-date=August 31, 2020 }} On August 22, Mountcastle had his first major league hit against the Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the ninth inning.{{ cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/orioles/video/ryan-mountcastle-s-first-mlb-hit | title=Ryan Mountcastle's first MLB hit| work=MLB.com | date=August 22, 2020 | access-date=March 22, 2021}} On August 30, he hit his first MLB home run.{{ cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/ryan-mountcastle-first-major-league-home-run | title=Mountcastle's 1st 2 HRs travel a tidy 830 feet | work=MLB.com | author=Joe Trezza | date=August 30, 2020 | access-date=August 31, 2020 }} On the season for Baltimore, Mountcastle slashed .333/.386/.492 with five home runs and 23 RBIs over 35 games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/player/ryan-mountcastle-663624|title=Ryan Mountcastle Stats, Fantasy & News|website=MLB.com}}
Mountcastle returned to Baltimore for the 2021 season as their starting first baseman and also spent time in left field and as their designated hitter. On June 7, 2021, Mountcastle was named American League Player of the Week, after hitting safely in all six games he played in, and going 11-for-24 (.458) with four home runs, three doubles, ten RBIs and a 1.563 OPS.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ryan-mountcastle-patrick-wisdom-named-players-of-the-week|title=Players of the Week: Wisdom, Mountcastle|website=MLB.com}} On June 19, Mountcastle had his first career three-home run game against the Toronto Blue Jays, launching two off of Toronto starter Alek Manoah and one off of reliever Anthony Kay. Over 144 games for the season, he slashed .255/.309/.487 with 33 home runs, 89 RBIs, and 23 doubles.{{cite web | last=Ruiz | first=Nathan | title=Oriole of the Day: Ryan Mountcastle lived up to reputation in tremendous rookie year | website=Baltimore Sun | date=January 8, 2022 | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2022/01/08/oriole-of-the-day-ryan-mountcastle-lived-up-to-reputation-in-tremendous-rookie-year/ | access-date=December 27, 2024}} His 33 home runs were the most ever by an Orioles rookie, and he led the major leagues in home runs by a rookie.{{cite web | title=Birdland Playback: Ryan Mountcastle Sets New Orioles Rookie Home Run Record | website=MLB.com | date=December 27, 2024 | url=https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/featured/birdland-playback-ryan-mountcastle-sets-new-orioles-rookie-home-run-record | access-date=December 27, 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2021/11/os-ryan-mountcastle.html | title=Home }}
File:Ryan Mountcastle (53707865103) (cropped).jpg
In 2022, Mountcastle batted .250/.305/.423 with 22 home runs and 85 RBIs in 145 games.
On April 11, 2023, Mountcastle tied an Orioles record with nine RBI in a 12–8 win over the Oakland Athletics.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ryan-mountcastle-9-rbis-tie-orioles-single-game-record|title=Mountcastle's massive night (9 RBIs!) ties O's record|first=Jake|last=Rill|website=MLB.com|date=April 11, 2023|accessdate=April 12, 2023}} On August 8, he hit a 472–foot home run off of Framber Valdez of the Houston Astros. The two–run shot served as the furthest home run at Camden Yards by an Oriole in the Statcast era (since 2015).{{cite web | last=Rill | first=Jake | title=Ryan Mountcastle hits 472-foot homer in Orioles' loss to Astros | website=MLB.com | date=August 9, 2023 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ryan-mountcastle-hits-472-foot-homer-in-orioles-loss-to-astros | access-date=October 20, 2024}}
Mountcastle had a pair of home runs and five RBI in a 10–1 away victory over the Blue Jays on June 4, 2024. The performance continued his career offensive dominance over the Blue Jays.{{cite web | last=Harrison | first=Ian | title=Mountcastle hits 2 HRs, Norby gets first career HR and Orioles rout Blue Jays 10-1 | website=AP News | date=June 5, 2024 | url=https://apnews.com/article/orioles-blue-jays-score-68e06d3afb288199530285fde046287c | access-date=October 20, 2024}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|mlb=663624|espn=34940|br=m/mountry01|fangraphs=sa874734|brm=mountc000rya|retro=M/Pmounr001}}
{{2015 MLB Draft}}
{{Baltimore Orioles first-round draft picks}}
{{IL MVPs}}
{{Baltimore Orioles roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mountcastle, Ryan}}
Category:Aberdeen IronBirds players
Category:Baltimore Orioles players
Category:Baseball players from Seminole County, Florida
Category:Delmarva Shorebirds players
Category:Frederick Keys players
Category:Gulf Coast Orioles players
Category:Major League Baseball first basemen
Category:Major League Baseball outfielders
Category:Norfolk Tides players