Ryan Mountcastle blocked by prospects, named Orioles' top trade candidate

Jared Bloom

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Ryan Mountcastle blocked by prospects, named Orioles' top trade candidate image

The Baltimore Orioles have already made some changes after a bitter 2025 season. They now enter the 2026 season with Craig Albernaz as their newest manager, taking over for Tony Mansolino after the club parted ways with Brandon Hyde. 

They will take the next few months, putting together a plan to put the best product on the field and become a contender once again. Luckily for them, there are tons of intriguing names that could help fill some holes. 

Unlike most offseasons, Baltimore is expected to open up their pockets and be aggressive on the open market. They are trying to shed their budget expectations, so watch for them to make a ton of moves over the winter. 

Ryan Mountcastle blocked by prospects, named Orioles' top trade candidate

One move the club could make is to free up some salary space. If this is part of the front office's plan, one name comes to mind, and that is Ryan Mountcastle. 

Mountcastle missed parts of the season in 2025 and will be one of Baltimore's most expensive players next season. Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller believes he is the most likely to be traded over the winter. 

"His trade value is negligible, but Baltimore's motivation to move him is obvious: salary dump. He's currently projected to be the fourth-highest paid player on the roster, but he's also plenty expendable with 1B/3B Cody Mayo and C/1B Samuel Basallo all but certain to be on the Opening Day roster."

Outside of how much he is going to cost, Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo are expected to be on the Opening Day roster and can handle the first base duties. 

Miller also mentions that the Orioles could just non-tender him if they feel they cannot find a trade partner. However, Mountcastle still has plenty left in the tank and could be a great addition for a team that misses out on a first baseman on the open market.

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