Ryan Mountcastle Landing Spots: 3 ideal destinations for Orioles first baseman as trade rumors heat up
Although Ryan Mountcastle has enjoyed a solid five-year career with the Baltimore Orioles, there's a chance that we may have already seen him play his final game in their uniform. A first-round pick of the Orioles in the 2015 MLB draft, Mountcastle has been mentioned in trade rumors this offseason and could draw plenty of interest from teams looking to bolster their lineups.
The 27-year-old is under team control until the end of the 2026 season, which could make Mountcastle even more valuable for clubs looking to acquire him. Last season in Baltimore, Mountcastle posted a solid .271 batting average with 13 home runs and a .733 OPS.
Although Mountcastle's power numbers have left something to be desired in recent seasons, he has showcased his ability to rack up long balls, hitting 33 homers in 2021. Camden Yards has been in the bottom half of the league in terms of home runs, so a move elsewhere could see the first baseman's home run totals climb.
Here's a closer look at 3 potential landing spots for Ryan Mountcastle if the Orioles opt to trade him
#1, New York Mets
The New York Mets are the obvious landing spot for Mountcastle as the club has to address first base. The free-agent negotiations with Pete Alonso could go one way or the other at this point, and the front office could look to the Orioles slugger as a replacement.
Even though Alonso is the more established star in the majors, Mountcastle could be a solid and much more affordable first base option for New York. Plus Ryan Mountcastle would not be a rental and could hold the position for at least two seasons for the Mets.
#2, Toronto Blue Jays
Another club heavily linked to Pete Alonso who could also pivot away from him is the Toronto Blue Jays. While trading Ryan Mountcastle to a division rival could be questionable if the price was right, a deal could work out. The Blue Jays have questions surrounding the futures of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, so bringing in an affordable option with team control could help with roster flexibility.
#3, Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners have been looking to upgrade their infield all offseason and while they have already added Donovan Solano and Miles Mastrobuoni, Ryan Mountcastle could make more of an impact in 2025. The Mariners have a number of pitchers that they could look to use in a trade, and coincidentally, the Orioles have been looking for additional pitching.