A Gold Glove finalist last season, Ryan Mountcastle is again playing solid D (O's another walk-off win)

The Orioles had two Gold Glove finalists, but no winners, last season and some fans may not remember that while Austin Hays was a finalist for left fielders, Baltimore’s other finalist was Ryan Mountcastle at first base.

As manager Brandon Hyde said, “It's great to see him find a home defensively,” and Mountcastle has put in the time and work to get better there. He began his pro career as a shortstop, was moved to third base and even tried the outfield.

But based on some of the strong plays he’s made already this year – the most recent was his diving stop to his left in the ninth Tuesday night – Mountcastle has indeed found his defensive home.

Just how has he improved over there at first?

“Just like in first-step quickness,” he said Wednesday morning in the Baltimore clubhouse. “Being ready and engaged every pitch. Felt like I put a lot of work in, especially during the offseason and even during the season last year, me and Tony (Mansolino, third base and infield coach). Feeling comfortable over there.

“It’s awesome to see it come into play on the field. Just want to help our pitchers out and I know they appreciate it. Lot of fun to make some good plays.”

Mansolino has been there to help guide Mountcastle in his improvement around the bag.

“He has been great. Huge help to all of us,” he said.

In Monday’s game, in the seventh inning of a 3-3 tie with a man on second base and one out, Mountcastle dove near the line to his glove side to make a great play and then ran and dove to the bag to get Kansas City’s Kyle Isbel. It was a big time play and kept the game tied there. He robbed Isbel of extra bases.

Said O’s skipper Brandon Hyde: ‘He’s come a long way. It’s great to see him find a home defensively and thought we really saw that last year. The strides he has made just from a confidence standpoint.

“Growing up and playing shortstop his whole life, I think we have a luxury. Not many first baseman in the big leagues got drafted as a shortstop. So, he has shortstop type of tools in that he’s got some range, he’s got great hands. He’s obviously a bigger kid. He moves extremely well. To be able to play first base and get comfortable playing the position, there is a lot more to it than people think. Just from a footwork standpoint to a lot of things, picking balls in the dirt, etc.

“He has just made huge strides in all that because of the hard work that him and Tony have put in. Lot of one-on-one work every day. He’s playing great defense right now.”

In Mountcastle, the Orioles have a power bat in the middle of their lineup, one that set a team rookie record with 33 homers in the 2021 season. And a player who in the last 51 games of 2023 had this batting line - .326/.409/.491/.900.

Most nights his contributions will come more often on offense very likely, but he has shown already this year he can save runs on defense too.

“It feels good,” he said of making a key play with his glove. “Just trying to save a run or save someone from getting extra bases. It may not always get as much credit as a big hit, but it definitely impacts the outcome of the game.”

And now he is starting to get noticed for his play in the field. As being a 2023 Gold Glove finalist would attest.

“Yeah, that was definitely an honor to be a finalist. Cool to see, because earlier in my career I probably would not have thought that. To be where I am right now, I’m super happy. It would be a cool trophy to have one day,” said Mountcastle.

Another walk-off win: For the second time in their series with Kansas City, the Orioles won via a walk-off. James McCann's two-out, two-run single in the ninth last night gave them a 4-3 win over Kansas City. He lined a 2-0 fastball off Will Smith into left to produce two runs. They were one pitch from losing the game, but McCann made sure they won it with his fourth career walk-off plate appearance.

McCann lined his game-winning single at 110.5 mph off the bat. The Orioles trailed 3-0 in the seventh and then scored twice each in the eighth and ninth innings to rally and improve to 4-2.

It was the Orioles' third comeback win of the year already. They are off today and head to Pittsburgh where a new series begins Friday afternoon.

Click here and here to see clips of the walk-off hit that ended a long day and night at Oriole Park.

Norfolk's prolific start on offense: The Triple-A Norfolk Tides have a team ERA of 8.40 through five games, yet they have scored 65 runs and are 4-1.

The Tides prolific offense produced several records last night in a 26-11 win at Charlotte. The Tides set franchise records for runs, hits (29) and home runs (8). Heston Kjerstad went 5-for-7 with two doubles and two homers, one of which was a grand slam and he drove in a franchise-record 10 runs.

Kyle Stowers went 4-for-7 with a double, three homers, seven RBIs and 14 total bases. It was his second career three-homer game, he also had one on May 22, 2022. He and Gary Rajsich are the only Tides with two career three-homer games. Rajsich, the former O's scouting director, hit a pair on April 15 and May 5, 1981.

Through five games, the Tides as a team are batting .379/.438/.772/1.210 and lead the 20-team International League in each category. 

Last night the Tides went 29-for-56 (.518) at-bat with eight doubles, a triple, and eight homers. They have scored 10 runs or more in four of five games.

Click here for a look at Kjerstad's slam. In five games he is 14-for-24 (.583) at-bat with three doubles, four homers, 10 runs, 18 RBIs and a 1.785 OPS.

I don't know when and how the Orioles will get some of these top prospects onto their big league roster, but they are sure pushing for time. The O's under Mike Elias, have indeed built an elite talent pipeline. What they are doing on the farm is truly impressive and remarkable.