The Baltimore Orioles now have Pete Alonso playing first base.
The right-handed hitting Alonso, 31, has signed a five-year free agent contract with Baltimore.
The arrival of Alonso in Baltimore could leave first baseman/outfielder Ryan Mountcastle relegated to platoon or pinch-hitting duties.
Mountcastle won’t be 29 until February 18. He is still in his prime baseball production years.
A right-handed hitter, Mountcastle could offer the Cleveland Guardians an excellent outfield/first base option. He offers the type of position versatility the Guardians seek in their 26-man roster.
The Guardians need more right-handed hitting offensive players.
The Guardians have been overwhelmed in recent years by left-handed pitching. They simply don’t have enough right-handed hitters to combat the constant stream of lefties they face.
About Ryan Mountcastle:
Mountcastle has a fairly strong, 6-3, 200 pound frame.
Ryan Mountcastle was a 1st round selection of the Baltimore Orioles in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft.
The Orioles signed Mountcastle out of Paul J. Harris High School in Oviedo, Florida.
The 36th player selected in the draft, the Orioles gave Mountcastle a $1.3M signing bonus. The amount was about $400,000 below the MLB recommended value for that slot.
Drafted as a shortstop in high school, scouts were convinced Mountcastle would have to move off of shortstop, and convert to playing left field.
In fact, Mountcastle has indeed played left field, but most of his time in Baltimore has been spent as a first baseman.
At the time he was drafted, scouts were impressed with Mountcastle’s maturity and approach to playing baseball.
Scouts particularly liked his pitch recognition and plate discipline.
Scouts also saw power potential in Mountcastle’s frame and swing.
Career With The Orioles:
At the age of 23, Mountcastle made his big league debut with Baltimore.
On August 21, 2020, Mountcastle played left field in an Orioles loss to the Boston Red Sox.
In that COVID shortened season, Mountcastle made 140 plate appearances in 35 games. He hit .333/.386/.492/.878, with five doubles and 23 RBIs.
Off to a great start with the big league club, Mountcastle has gone on to be a fairly steady player for the Orioles.
Last year, Mountcastle played only 89 games for Baltimore, hitting .250, with 18 doubles, seven home runs, and 35 RBIs in 357 plate appearances.
Mountcastle missed a considerable amount of playing time in 2025, as he battled a hamstring injury.
As we fast-forward to the 2026 season, it is clear that Mountcastle’s stock has dropped in the eyes of both the Orioles and most likely, many MLB front offices.
Mountcastle started to show some offensive decline in the 2024 season, but he still managed to hit 13 homers, and drive in 63 runs.
Risk/Reward:
Mountcastle has played his entire career, parts of six seasons, with one team. He was drafted by Baltimore, and he is still on the Orioles roster.
Perhaps Mountcastle just needs a fresh start. A new MLB environment. New teammates. New voices trying to help him.
To this old scout, Mountcastle could be a nice right-handed hitting component for an offense that needs right-handed hitting.
The risk of trading for Mountcastle could be mitigated by the outstanding potential offensive reward.
Against left-handed hitting last season, Mountcastle hit .262, with no homers. All his home runs came against right-handed pitching. He hit .245 against righties.
However, his playing time and plate appearances were limited. Especially due to the hamstring injury.
If Mountcastle is healthy, and passes a physical, the Guardians may discover he can really help boost their offense.
Trading For Mountcastle:
The Orioles have bolstered their offense with the additions of Alonso, Taylor Ward, and Leody Taveras.
Mountcastle may be an odd man out.
Now, it is clear Baltimore is looking for pitching.
This observer feels a trade of left-handed pitcher Logan Allen from Cleveland to Baltimore for Ryan Mountcastle would be a fair trade that helps both clubs.
Another potential pitching option could be left-hander Doug Nikhazy, who is on Cleveland’s 40-man roster, and has plenty of upside remaining.
Trading for Ryan Mountcastle could prove to be beneficial for a Cleveland club that keeps knocking on the door as a legitimate MLB contender.
