The Orioles didn’t map out an extensive offseason plan for Ike Irish, their first pick in the 2025 amateur draft. He was able to determine necessary areas of improvement just by visiting Camden Yards last week.
Put a bunch of major league players around a 21 year old in his first professional season and it becomes clear.
“I think it’s the big things, like you’ve got to get more physical,” he said during a media scrum in the Orioles’ dugout. “Just for myself, standing around these big leaguers, I’m a little smaller than they are, so get a little more physical. And then just fine-tune the talent and get better in all aspects of the game, because I have to.”
Irish obviously didn’t let his draft status go to his head.
The Orioles had four draft picks within the top 37 and chose Irish 19th overall out of Auburn University, thrilled that one of the top hitters in the draft fell to them.
Irish climbed boards after slashing .364/.469/.710 this season with 13 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs, 58 RBIs, 33 walks, 37 strikeouts and 11 steals in 12 attempts in 55 games. Over three college seasons, he slashed .350/.435/.625 with 48 doubles, five triples, 39 homers and 167 RBIs in 160 games. And scouts also grew intrigued when he batted .325/.438/.433 last summer in the Cape Code League.
The Orioles signed Irish for $4,418,400 less than a week after the draft and assigned him to Class A Delmarva, where he appeared in 20 games and went 17-for-74 (.230) with two doubles, a home run, 12 RBIs, six walks and 19 strikeouts. He was 3-for-19 in September.
“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “You’re just getting your feet wet in all different aspects. It’s your job now and so it’s a little different than going to class and then playing a baseball game, but it was a lot of fun.”
Irish moved from behind the plate to right field at Auburn after fracturing his scapula in March. The Shorebirds gave him five starts at catcher, six at first base, five in right field and two as designated hitter. He also played left in college.
“I think it’s exciting the versatility that he brings to the roster,” vice president of player development and domestic scouting Matt Blood said after the draft. “He can catch one day, he could play first one day, he could play in the outfield one day. That’s a pretty valuable type of player, especially if he’s one of the best hitters on the team.”
Irish understood that he’d move around, especially after the Orioles selected Coastal Carolina catcher Caden Bodine 30th overall. He’s comfortable “all over the place,” he said, and that’s why there’s no hesitation in playing him in multiple spots and roles.
“That’s what the Orioles and I really agree upon it. We want to be as versatile as possible - catching, right field, left field, DH, first base. So whatever they think is best,” he said.
“I’m so happy to be in this organization and it’s a lot of fun playing different positions and getting better at all of them.”
Bodine threw out 39 percent of runners attempting to steal this year and won the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award.
“I think he was the best catcher in college baseball this year, and watching him do it when I’m playing first base or right field is really fun,” Irish said. “He’s really, really good at what he does and being able to learn from him and pick up little things has been a really cool experience.
“He sticks everything. He’s consistent, he throws guys out and he just does a really nice job of handling a pitching staff.”
Joining Irish in the first round and at Delmarva created a catching bond.
“The more, the better,” Bodine said. “Just bouncing ideas off each other, getting better and pushing each other, for sure.”
Bodine made the more rapid offensive adjustment to the pros, batting .326/.408/.349 (14-for-43) but appearing in only 11 games because of a bruised finger on his left hand. He was 4-for-9 in his last two games but didn’t play after Aug. 26.
The switch-hitter looked a lot like the guy who batted .318/.454/.461 in 67 games as a junior and .337/.440/.528 in his three collegiate seasons.
“I think just sticking to the same plans,” he said. “The guys there, they’re extremely helpful hitting-wise, coming up with plans for certain guys, so really helpful.”
The Orioles invited Irish, Bodine, shortstop Wehiwa Aloy (31st overall) and center fielder Slater de Brun (37th) to Camden Yards, arranging a tour, batting practice rounds and seats for the game.
“It’s been a lot of fun getting to know those guys,” Irish said. “They come from all aspects of life. Wehiwa is from Hawaii, Slater’s from Bend, Oregon, Caden’s from New Jersey and I’m from Michigan, and so it’s like a melting pot, and it’s a lot of fun to see their perspectives just on baseball, but also life. And getting to know them has been a really cool experience.”
de Brun is the youngest at 18, right out of high school in Oregon.
"They're like my big brothers, honestly," he said. "They look out for me and I look up to them. They tell me I need to get bullied, not in like an actual way but they keep me in check, and they tell me when I'm doing too much, when I've got to tone it down. So they help me be a man, honestly, so I really respect them."