Each year, MASN All Access dives deep into the Orioles’ first selections in the MLB Draft. 

Preparation includes the compilation of scouting reports from various outlets, studying mock drafts and trends, and the assemblage of highlights and photographs of most conceivable Orioles draft picks in the first round. College hitters are, of course, prioritized. 

In 2025, a year in which Baltimore had four picks in the top-37, Annie Klaff and I were fully prepared for the selections of roughly 50 players projected to be available at the O’s selections. Ike Irish, frequently mocked among the top 10 picks, was not among that group. MLB Pipeline’s final mock before the draft had the Auburn product going at No. 9. 

Nobody thought that he would be available for Baltimore at pick 19. Of course, he was. We’ll be sure to expand that number to 75 this year. 

Irish, an accomplished hitter throughout his college career at Auburn, has seen his advanced approach translate well in his brief professional career. Through 17 games in High-A Frederick to begin 2026, the 22-year-old is hitting .317 with a .423 on-base percentage, and seven extra-base hits help bring his OPS up to .956. 

“I fully haven’t hit a stride yet,” Irish told me last week. “I just don’t feel like I have my full timing back yet. I’m still just working on it.” 

If this isn’t his stride, opposing pitchers should be weary of what is. 

Watching Irish, you’ll see a smooth, simple swing without much wasted movement. It’s an approach he’s carried with him for years. 

“It’s being stubborn and realizing what I do well,” Irish said. “For me, and if anybody watches me, they know my entire game revolves around hitting the ball to the back side and using left field and center field as much as probably anybody else in baseball … That’s what I think in the box, just keep it simple. I tell myself to go home. For that, that means hit the ball to the left side of second base.” 

The left-hander also happens to be left-eye dominant. To see the ball best, Irish prefers to let it travel, as the best in the game have the ability to do. 

“My body moves in a way that I like the ball deepening up on me, and I have comfort in that,” he said. “And then I just use my hands to flick it the other way. I don’t rotate as much on balls to the back side. And so my body just feels pretty calm when I’m doing it.”

Just “flicking” the ball the other way doesn’t quite do Irish’s power justice. In his final season at Auburn, he mashed 19 home runs and 13 doubles. The No. 4 prospect in the Orioles system, according to MLB Pipeline, already has three longballs in 17 games with Frederick. 

“The Orioles do a really good job of just letting us have our own approaches,” Irish said. “They’re not telling us we need to hit the ball to the pull side, we need to sell out for pull-side power. They really just let you be you, and I think that really provides comfort and the ability to just go play.”

While Irish’s bat is sure to play, his defensive home is more of a question mark. The SEC product was a catcher, outfielder and first baseman throughout his college career, but an injury in his junior season limited him to just a dozen games behind the dish compared to 45 in the outfield. That’s where Irish will seemingly be focused. 

“It’s the outfield and first base right now, catching’s on the back burner for this year,” he said. “It’s not out of the equation, but it’s just on the back burner. And so, just trying to get the little things right, get as many reps in as I can in those three spots and just have fun with it.

If you just look at the catching position, you’ve gotta be special back there, and then you’ve gotta be special at the plate too,” Irish added. “You look at guys in our org, Adley, Basallo, Creed Willems, Ethan Anderson, those guys are really special behind the plate. So, for us, it was a mutual decision of ‘hey, we want the bat to play at the highest level,’ and we both thought it was in my best interest to transition out of there for now, but still leave it on the table and not totally close the door.”

The highest level is still far down the road for Irish, who just surpassed 150 plate appearances in his minor league career. But it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the former SEC star rise quickly through the system with a plate approach that continues to work wonders. 

To see my conversation with Irish, plus more insights, analysis and interviews with prospects and coaches in Baltimore’s minor league system, be sure to tune into “The Orioles Farm Report,” hosted by Annie Klaff and I. The show premiers tonight at 8 p.m. on MASN, with new episodes once per month.