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TAMPA – Less than a week after drafting catcher/outfielder Ike Irish in the first round, the Orioles got his signature on a contract.
Irish, 21, signed earlier today in Baltimore after passing his physical. The Orioles made him the 19th overall pick Sunday night out of Auburn University.
Irish, a left-handed hitter and Michigan-native climbed draft boards after slashing .364/.469/.710 with 13 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs, 58 RBIs, 33 walks, 37 strikeouts and 11 steals in 12 attempts over 55 games this season. In three college seasons, he slashed .350/.435/.625 with 48 doubles, five triples, 39 homers and 167 RBIs in 160 games.
Adding to the Irish intrigue is how he batted .325/.438/.433 last summer in the Cape Code League.
“First and foremost, we love his bat,” vice president of player development and domestic scouting Matt Blood said late Sunday night. “He’s a very polished bat, both on, really on all aspects of how you would want a hitter to be. Contact, power, swing decisions. Just really, really exciting hitter. He has the ability to catch, he has the ability to play corner outfield, he has the ability to play some first base, and we’re pretty big on defensive versatilities, so we’ll probably explore all those options.”
A fractured scapula in March cost Irish some games but didn’t damage his draft status.
Irish was announced as a catcher on draft night and listed at the position earlier today in the team’s news release. But he caught in only 12 games this year and played right field in 41 and left field in four.
“I think it’s exciting the versatility that he brings to the roster,” Blood said. “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.”
The deadline to sign players is July 28 at 5 p.m. The Orioles made seven picks on the first day and 24 overall.
The club’s transactions page shows the Orioles signing Ashland University right-hander Hunter Allen (seventh round), University of Cumberlands left-hander Kailen Hamson (eighth) and University of West Florida right-hander Dalton Neuschwander (10th).
* According to MLB.com’s Jim Callis, Irish signed for $4,418,400.
