The Baltimore Orioles are off to a 2-1 start this season. In those three games, the Orioles have been crushing the ball.
Their offense has 10 total home runs and they are slashing .279/.350/.606 as a team. In fact, Baltimore broke a franchise record on opening day by slugging six home runs.
Despite their great offensive output, one player in their lineup has struggled through the first three games.
Ryan Mountcastle started the first two games of the season before getting Saturday off. In his two games played, the right-handed batter is 1-for-9 with a double, one run scored and three strikeouts.
Since his rookie season in 2021, the first baseman has been one of the best hitters on the team.
In that span, he has slashed .260/.312/.447 with an OPS+ of 113, 86 home runs, 305 RBI and 517 total hits. Along with that, Mountcastle has been worth 7.3 Wins Above Replacement.
The 28-year-old has been a very consistent hitter, and he will not be hitting under .200 for long. However, there is a top prospect waiting his turn in Triple-A.
Coby Mayo is the team’s No. 2 prospect.
He made his MLB debut last season, but struggled at the plate. He slashed .098/.196/.098 in 17 games played and he struck out 22 times.
Still, the Orioles see a lot of potential in their top prospect.
In order to get him to the big leagues, Baltimore could be looking for a trade involving their current starting first baseman.
Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Orioles are considering trading Mountcastle. This move would make room for Mayo on the big league roster.
As of now, the talks are in the very early stages. Baltimore does not seem close to striking a deal for their first baseman, but it is on their minds.
Mountcastle avoided arbitration this offseason. However, he has one more year under club control before becoming a free agent in 2027. If a team were to trade for him, they would be receiving him for a little less than two seasons. But there is value in that level of team control.
Mayo is 0-for-7 to start the Triple-A season. Last year, though, the 23-year-old slashed .293/.373/.592 with 25 home runs and 65 runs scored. The righty has a little but of a strikeout problem, but his potential is off the charts.
Trading Mayo would definitely yield a good return. But as of right now, Mountcastle seems to be the more enticing trade candidate.