O's fourth-round pick settles in at Aberdeen

The Orioles fourth-round draft pick, Auburn outfielder Trent Mummey, has gotten off to a solid start in his pro career. The 21-year lefty hitter and Aberdeen center fielder is the IronBirds' leadoff batter. He is hitting .306-1-4 in his first 11 pro games with four doubles, four walks and five strikeouts in 49 at bats. He has eight hits over his last four games. "It's been really fun, I've enjoyed every bit of it. When you sign, you don't really know what to expect so you open up your ears and eyes and learn the system a little bit and just play. It's been an exciting first two weeks," Mummey said earlier this week just outside the team's clubhouse. Mummey said he was not sure what to expect when draft time rolled around, but he was the 118th overall selection. "The draft is a wild thing, you really have no clue where you are going. I was told fifth round and under. I was watching the draft on the computer and was getting a little worried when the fourth round came. "Then the Orioles picked me up and that was exciting. I've known guys that were expected to go earlier and fell to the later rounds because they started naming off (bonus) numbers that they wanted and it hurt them. I think I handled the process in the right way." Mummey batted .366-17-54 in 36 games with Auburn. With numbers like that, fans might look for home runs from Mummey. But he is not a big guy, listed at 5'10" and 176 pounds. "Being in the leadoff spot, it's not a big part of your game. I'm looking to get on base and drive the ball. I'm starting to learn the wood (bat) better and drive the ball more and maybe I'll start seeing more doubles and triples, more of a gap-to-gap guy. I'm not looking to hit the ball as far as I can, that's not what they want me doing right now." Mummey had some anxious days right when the college season began when he was on the sidelines injured. "I fractured my fibula in my right ankle and had a third degree sprain. That took eight weeks to heal. Two weeks in a hard cast and four weeks in a boot and then two weeks to get my feet under me. That happened a week before the college season started, just twisted my ankle playing outfield on wet grass. "It's been 100 percent ever since I've been back. You don't want to play on a hurt ankle." Now Mummey is getting used to playing pro ball and using the wood bats every day. He said he got experience with the use of a wooden bat in the Cape Cod League last summer. "Going up there and facing some of the best arms in the country using wood has really seemed to help out here. Every day you see someone's Friday night starter. That league is tough." With the IronBirds, Mummey is back batting leadoff in the lineup, a spot that is comfortable for him. He batted mostly second this season in the Auburn batting order. "It's a little different. My freshman and sophomore year I was the leadoff hitter at Auburn. Just need to go in with a mindset of seeing some pitches and getting on base. Let the guys behind you do the job. As a two-hole hitter sometimes you are looking to advance a runner. But I'm comfortable in the leadoff spot." One reason the O's drafted Mummey is they liked his competitive nature. For now he's doing fine at Aberdeen and is not sure if he'll remain with Aberdeen for the rest of this season. "They really haven't told me anything. I'm not sure if they want me here the whole summer or will move me up. I'm just taking it day-by-day and playing the game as hard as I can."