“Steal bases I guess, I don’t know,” first-round pick Ike Irish answered with a laugh. 

“Steal bases, the first thing out of the catcher’s mouth, huh?” I replied with a chuckle. I had asked Irish, the No. 19 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, if he had any goals for the remainder of his first professional season. 

“Hit the ball hard and steal bases,” he doubled down. “And outside of that, have fun.” 

That element won’t be missing for MLB Pipeline’s second-best Orioles prospect. The catcher/outfielder/first-baseman hybrid is keeping things light after being drafted just a few months ago. 

It’s the message the organization has sent him, too. 

Dean Kremer went with the high-socks look tonight, though he already stood out as one of the Orioles who’s stayed away from the injured list. Tonight marked his 24^th appearance and 23^rd start, the most of anyone in the rotation.

Durability is becoming a source of pride for Kremer.

He’ll also take the wins if they come to him, but it's much harder when your team doesn't score.

Kremer surrendered a run in the first inning and nothing else through the eighth in a 1-0 loss to the Mariners before an announced crowd of 19,356 at Camden Yards.

The eight innings were a season high for Kremer, who allowed five hits, threw 101 pitches and lowered his ERA to 4.17. He’s completed the seventh in seven of his starts.

The roster makeover that’s anticipated at the trade deadline could create a stiffer challenge in selecting a Most Valuable Oriole.

Players must be in the organization to remain eligible in voting by media that covers the team, or at least talks about it, with maybe the occasional stops at the ballpark.

(I want transparency in the voting because each season brings at least one ridiculous ballot. But I digress …)

Ryan O’Hearn, the lone All-Star on the team, profiles as the favorite. However, he could be gone by July 31. He’s generating the expected interest and he’s a pending free agent, which makes him a strong candidate.

Ramón Laureano deserves to be on the three-man ballot. He gave the Orioles a 5-3 lead last night with his 12^th homer, a two-run shot in the third inning. He certainly qualifies as one of the season’s biggest surprises, ranking second with a 2.2 bWAR, but will he get moved later this month?

TAMPA - The Orioles signed another first-day draft pick today, Arkansas shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, the 31^st-overall selection.

Aloy receives the full slot value of $3,042,800, as reported by MLB.com’s Jim Callis.

The club already inked catchers Ike Irish and Caden Bodine, the 19^th and 30th selections. The deadline for signings is July 28 at 5 p.m.

Aloy, 21, fell to the Orioles and they pounced. A native of Hawaii, he won the Golden Spikes and Southeastern Conference Player of the Year awards this year by slashing .350/.434/.673 with 19 doubles, two triples, 21 home runs, 68 RBIs and 81 runs scored.

In three seasons, Aloy hit .332/.406/.609 with 43 doubles, seven triples, 49 homers and 170 RBIs in 181 games.

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 19^th 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.”

Day 2 of the draft begins later this morning and should move rapidly from rounds four to 20.

The Orioles paused late last night to admire their bounty after making seven selections.

Matt Blood, vice president of player development and domestic scouting, said he was thrilled with the level of talent that began with catchers Ike Irish and Caden Bodine and continued with shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, outfielder Slater de Brun, left-hander Joseph Dzierwa, right-hander JT Quinn and outfielder RJ Austin. Only de Brun, who committed to Vanderbilt, is a prep player.

“Just having that many picks on Day 1 gives you the ability to capitalize whenever these things happen,” Blood said. “We’re just really over the moon with the haul we were able to get today.”

(Cowser seemed most likely to jump over it, but I digress …)

The Orioles didn’t stray from their preference for college bats in the first round of the 2025 draft. Only their season can be described as unpredictable.

With the 19^th overall pick tonight, the Orioles selected Auburn catcher Ike Irish.

Irish, a 21-year-old left-handed hitter and Michigan-native, homered six times in his last eight games. He slashed .364/.469/.710 with 13 doubles, two triples, 19 homers, 58 RBIs, 33 walks, 37 strikeouts and 11 steals in 12 attempts over 55 games this season.

In three college seasons, Irish hit .350/.435/.625 with 48 doubles, five triples, 39 homers and 167 RBIs in 160 games. He batted .325/.438/.433 in the Cape Code League last summer.

Irish, listed at 6 foot 2 and 210 pounds, also plays the outfield. He caught in only 12 games this year, compared to playing 41 in right and four in left.