The Baltimore Orioles have reshaped their roster this offseason with some major moves. They’ve added Taylor Ward and Shane Baz through trades, while signing Zach Eflin, Ryan Helsley, and most notably Pete Alonso as free agents.
All that activity has created a roster crunch that’s pushing Ryan Mountcastle toward the trade block.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, Mountcastle isn’t just available – he’s the best slugger on the trade market right now.
“Ryan Mountcastle has shown the ability to impact a lineup (33 home runs in 2021), but it’s been a few years since he put together a full, healthy, productive season. Baltimore has nowhere for Mountcastle to pay with the addition of Pete Alonso and the emergence of Samuel Basallo, so the 28-year-old could likely be had at a minimal cost.”
The math here is pretty simple. With Alonso locked in at first base and Samuel Basallo emerging as a top prospect, the Orioles have their catcher/first base/DH rotation set with Adley Rutschman in the mix.
That leaves Mountcastle as expensive depth.
Now, his recent performance hasn’t exactly been eye-catching. The 28-year-old hit .250 with a .653 OPS in 2024, which isn’t going to wow anybody. But in a thin market for power bats, teams might be willing to bet on his track record.
Let’s put it this way – Mountcastle’s shown he can produce when healthy. He posted solid numbers from 2022-2024:
- 2024: .733 OPS
- 2023: .779 OPS
- 2022: .729 OPS
His best season came in 2021 when he launched 33 home runs and posted a .796 OPS across 144 games. That’s the upside teams are chasing.
The 29-year-old (come 2025) represents a low-risk, potentially high-reward play for teams looking to add thump to their lineup. Baltimore’s roster construction makes him expendable, which should keep the asking price reasonable.
For clubs seeking a first baseman or DH with pop, Mountcastle’s likely their best bet in what’s been a pretty quiet trade market for sluggers. The Orioles seem ready to move on, and somebody’s going to get a chance to see if they can unlock that 2021 version again.
