Mountcastle is more than dingers. Just wait

According to Ryan Mountcastle, “everybody loves hitting home runs.” Understandable enough. Home runs are fun, and Mountcastle is good at hitting them. The Orioles envision many more to come off his bat in the years ahead.

But the glimpse Mountcastle provided during his excellent 35-game 2020 debut was of a player who can do more than just slug. Hitting .333/.386/.492 with five home runs, 23 RBIs and a respectable 11/30 BB/K rate, Mountcastle looked more like an advanced hitter who could handle the strike zone better than advertised. Now comes the hard work of following that up, this time as a favorite in a crowded field of American League Rookie of the Year candidates.

"I think Year 2 is always difficult, because when you get to the big leagues there isn’t a whole lot of Major League data on you,” O’s manager Brandon Hyde said. “Now that Ryan has 30-plus games under his belt, teams are going to dissect how to try to get him out. Year 2 is about making adjustments back to the league and continuing to develop.”

That’s the goal going into this season for Mountcastle both at the plate and in left field, where he’s settled this spring after years of moving around the diamond. Since the Orioles drafted him No. 36 overall in 2015, Mountcastle has been tasked with learning a variety of new positions -- from shortstop to third base, third base to first, then first to left field full-time in '20. That’s no longer the case after Mountcastle made defense a focal point at the O’s alternate training site last summer, then turned heads not only with his bat, but with his athleticism and plus speed at the big league level.

“It’s going to help to focus on one position and getting good at that,” Mountcastle said. “I felt like hitting and defensively I made some strides [last year], and it’s something to build on for this coming year.”

At the plate, O’s officials rave about the strides Mountcastle made in the discipline department. His eight percent walk rate was almost double his career mark in the Minor Leagues, and he posted a .990 OPS on pitches in the strike zone despite a below-average 39.9 percent chase rate, per Statcast. He also surprised even his manager with his wheels, rating in the 78th percentile in sprint speed by averaging 28 feet per second.

"I always thought I’ve been pretty fast,” Mountcastle said. “I work on it in the offseason all the time. I guess it was the first time people got to see me on TV, and it helped going out there and playing hard. I guess it's an underrated part of my game.”

All told, Mountcastle came four at-bats shy of shedding his rookie eligibility. With regular appearances this season, he could compete for AL Rookie of the Year hardware, which no Oriole has won since Gregg Olson in 1989.

“I was really impressed with Ryan’s strike zone discipline and athleticism,” Hyde said. “That is something he has to continue to do: to handle the strike zone and swing at strikes. He has so much ability, so much raw power, athleticism, great hands, that it’s all about strike zone management with him.”

Hays’ new source of strength

Add outfielder Austin Hays to the list of Orioles making health a priority once again this spring, after he had his 2020 season limited to 33 games due to a broken rib. He hopes a new addition in his life -- his first son, Levi, born this offseason -- will help him stay on the field.

“I’m hoping the dad strength kicks in,” Hays said. “I heard for some guys it really helps them out.”

Besides health, the challenge for Hays this spring will be to separate himself in a crowded outfield mix alongside Mountcastle, Anthony Santander, Cedric Mullins and DJ Stewart. Hays is unique in his ability to play all three outfield positions, which could provide him regular at-bats in a reserve role. It’s also possible he could form a platoon in center with Mullins, who emerged last season as an impact defender and table-setter.

“I think we’re going to give both guys a ton of playing time and a lot of at-bats this spring, and then we’ll make a decision and see how things kind of shake out toward the end of camp,” Hyde said. “I’ll move Austin around a little bit also. They’ll share it for a little while and we’ll go from there.”

Said Hays: “I feel like I’m an everyday outfielder in the big leagues, and I am looking to take advantage of that opportunity.”