As the Orioles’ minor league hitting coaches work with Ryan Mountcastle at the team’s secondary training in Bowie, they use the best baseball player in the world as an example for the Orioles’ top power-hitting prospect to emulate when it comes to his swing decisions at the plate: Mike Trout.
Trout, hitting coach Tom Eller said, is the best because he only swings at good pitches. As the Orioles work on Mountcastle’s plate discipline at Bowie instead of letting him learn at the major league level, it’s another example of the organization using data and progressive, individualized player development plans to put their players in the best position to succeed in the big leagues — whenever that might be.