Mountcastle, Baumann, Rodriguez among Orioles award winners

Ryan Mountcastle didn't squeeze onto the Orioles' expanded roster this month. However, he's going to be at Camden Yards this weekend.

His name won't be in the lineup, but it's etched with the past recipients of the Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year Award.

Mountcastle has been chosen as the organization's top position player and will be honored in an on-field ceremony before Saturday's game against the Mariners.

Joining Mountcastle are right-handers Michael Baumann and Grayson Rodriguez, chosen as the Jim Palmer Minor League Co-Pitchers of the Year.

Double-A Bowie's Buck Britton, Single-A Delmarva's Kyle Moore and the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League's Alan Mills are the organization's Managers of the Year after all three teams qualified for the postseason. The GCL season was cut short due to Hurricane Dorian.

The Baysox reached the Eastern League Championship Series in Britton's first year at Bowie and in only his second season as a manager. Moore, in his second managerial season and first at Delmarva, led the Shorebirds to the Northern Division title and the team's first postseason berth since 2005. Mills, the former Orioles pitcher and bullpen coach, guided the team to a league-best 38-15 record and South Division championship after it went 13-42 in 2018.

Single-A Frederick left-hander Cameron Bishop is receiving the Elrod Hendricks Minor League Community Service Award. And Delmarva Pitching Coach Justin Ramsey has been named the winner of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Player Development Award.

Mountcastle, 22, was named the International League's Most Valuable Player after batting .312/.344/.527 with 35 doubles, one triple, 25 home runs, 83 RBIs and 81 runs scored in 127 games with Triple-A Norfolk and earning midseason and postseason All-Star honors. He led the International League with 162 hits, becoming the first Tides player to accomplish the feat since Mike Cervenak in 2007.

The Orioles selected Mountcastle, the 36th overall pick in the 2015 draft, as their Minor League Player of the Month in July after he batted .333 (36-for-108) with 11 doubles, four home runs, 15 RBIs and 15 runs scored over 25 games. He's rated as the No. 5 prospect in the Orioles system by Baseball America and No. 92 in the publication's Top 100.

The offensive production came while Mountcastle also was learning how to play first base and left field. He'll be placed on the 40-man roster before the Rule 5 draft.

Baumann, 24, posted a combined 2.98 ERA with 142 strikeouts in 24 games (22 starts) between Single-A Frederick and Bowie. He tossed a no-hitter for the Baysox on July 16 and allowed only one run with 32 strikeouts in his first 27 innings after the promotion.

The Orioles chose Baumann as their Minor League Pitcher of the Month for July and he was twice named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week. Baumann was named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the period of April 29-May 5 and was selected as a Mid-Season Carolina League All-Star.

The third-round pick in 2017 is rated as the No. 10 prospect in the Orioles system by Baseball America.

Rodriguez, 19, was named the South Atlantic League's Most Outstanding Major League Prospect after he went 10-4 with a 2.68 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 20 starts with Delmarva in his first full professional season. Rodriguez, the 11th overall pick in 2018, was selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game and retired all three batters faced.

Rodriguez, named a midseason and postseason All-Star, went 6-0 with a 0.82 ERA (four earned runs in 43 2/3 innings) and 61 strikeouts at home. He was named the Orioles' Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April after going 3-0 with a 0.54 ERA, including a stretch of 14 2/3 scoreless innings to begin the season. Baseball America rates him as the No. 3 prospect in the Orioles system and No. 47 in the publication's Top 100.

Ramsey is being recognized after the Shorebirds led the South Atlantic League in ERA (3.00), WHIP (1.18), and strikeouts (1,389), and allowed the fewest home runs (67). Delmarva set the South Atlantic League record for the most strikeouts in a single season. Shorebirds pitchers Rodriguez, Gray Fenter, Drew Rom, Ryan Wilson and Nick Vespi struck out 100 batters in fewer than 100 innings.

The Orioles note how Bishop was "eager to volunteer his time at many community appearances in the Frederick area this season." He assisted in leading the Keys' baseball camps throughout the summer, "teaching kids the fundamentals of baseball."

Bishop befriended a young student, Ryder, from the Maryland School for the Deaf during the season. Ryder taught him how to sign "Come support the home team, the Frederick Keys" for a video shown during Frederick's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Night.

Bishop recently was honored as the recipient of the 2019 Steve Bechler Memorial Spirit Award.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias, director of minor league operations Kent Qualls, domestic scouting operations supervisor Brad Ciolek and Norfolk general manager Joe Gregory will present the awards

The winners will interact with fans Saturday during Q&A sessions on the Center Field Roof Top Deck starting at 5:30 p.m.