Who is Ike Irish? Orioles' 2025 first-round pick bounces back in 2026

The Baltimore Orioles' top 10 prospects are littered with pitchers and outfielders. Their No. 1 prospect, Eric Booth Jr., was the Orioles' first-round pick in 2026 with the No. 7 overall selection. He shot up to become the team's top-ranked prospect after hitting .284 with a .718 OPS in 18 games in his first professional season.

However, another outfielder is trending in the right direction. His name is Ike Irish, a left-handed hitter who was a first-round pick in 2025. Irish was drafted out of Auburn, where he hit .350 with a 1.060 OPS and 39 career home runs.

In his first professional season, in 2025, he struggled, hitting .230/.296/.297 with just one home run in 20 games. He bounced back in 2026, hitting .286 with a .916 OPS, 16 home runs, 59 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 76 games. However, his season was cut short when he tore his meniscus shortly after appearing in the Futures Game in July. That led Baltimore to send him to Peoria, Arizona, to play in the Arizona Fall League and make up the at-bats he missed.

In 18 games, Irish is hitting .328 with a .946 OPS, which earned him a selection to the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game. He has two home runs and 13 RBIs.

According to MLB.com's Jim Callis, many scouts thought Irish was the best offensive player in the 2025 draft when he was selected out of Auburn. That made his initial struggles in his first pro season a surprise, but Irish told Callis it never entered his mind that he lacked the tools to be a very good player. He said he just needed to work, make the necessary adjustments, and get his feet underneath him to turn it around.

The former high school catcher moved to the outfield in college to extend his career, and he told Callis he's relieved to be done with catching. According to Callis, his left-handed swing is very smooth and more contact-oriented, with 25-home-run potential.

The Orioles' outfield is in an interesting spot, and Irish could be the next big outfield prospect to make his debut, as Booth has a 2030 ETA, according to MLB.com. There aren't a ton of long-term options on the current roster, with Colton Cowser having the most potential despite a .226/.317/.370 slash line in 2026.

Baltimore is expected to pursue outfield help either via trade or free agency.