Breaking: Mountcastle Headed to the Queencity! Orioles Trade First Baseman to Reds for Promising Young Talent

The Baltimore Orioles are heading into the Winter Meetings looking to continue to make moves to improve their team.

It was another strong campaign for the Orioles in 2024, as they were able to win over 90 games and reach the postseason once again. However, while they have seen regular season success the last couple of years, including their 2023 American League East title, that has yet to translate to any success in the postseason.

Recently, Baltimore got active in the free agency market, as they agreed to a three-year deal with Tyler O’Neill, including a player opt-out in 2025. That agreement is likely an indication that Anthony Santander won’t be returning next season. Baltimore also reached an agreement with catcher Gary Sanchez on a one-year deal.

While the deal for O’Neill will help replace the production of Santander if he leaves, the Orioles still have some other holes to fill. As a team that hasn’t spent a lot of money in recent years, they could be very active in the trade market with the Winter Meetings starting.

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently spoke about a potential trade that would send Ryan Mountcastle to the Cincinnati Reds.

“Unless they plan to have Jeimer Candelario be their primary first baseman in 2025, the Reds have a clear need at the position. Mountcastle could be a cost-effective option at the position, as president of baseball operations Nick Krall attempts to upgrade a team that will be led by Terry Francona in 2025.”

The scenario did not outline what the Reds would give up to acquire him.

Mountcastle has been frequently mentioned in trade rumors for Baltimore recently, as he was being shopped at the trade deadline as well in 2024. The first baseman burst on to the scene with the Orioles as a prospect with a ton of power. However, those power numbers have dropped significantly since.

Even though his power numbers are down, he is still a solid player who is under team control for a couple of more years. That could be very appealing for a team like the Reds, who are trying to improve without breaking the bank in 2025.

For Baltimore, moving Mountcastle could help provide them with some more prospects for their farm system. Also, and potentially more importantly, it would free up space for top prospect Coby Mayo to come up and start at first base.

The Orioles haven’t been shy when it comes to making trades in the offseason, and moving Mountcastle seems to be inevitable at this point with how many times his name gets mentioned.