Top draft picks Irish and Bodine plan to catch on with Orioles

The Orioles’ first two picks in the 2025 Major League Baseball draft were catchers — Ike Irish, the top pick and 19^th overall, and Caden Bodine, the 30^th pick.

Because of a back injury, Irish played more games in the outfield than behind the plate this year for Auburn while Bodine was strictly a catcher for Coastal Carolina.

Irish isn’t sure where he’s going to play.

“If they think that catching is the best route, I’m all in,” Irish said in a video conference call. “If they think the outfield is the best route, I’m all in. And if they think that a combination of it, then I’m all in.”

Bodine feels more strongly about catching.

“I just love catching,” Bodine said. “Catching is my baby. I’m just super fortunate to be back there and control a pitching staff and be in every single pitch. I love it.”

Irish was projected to be drafted higher than 19^th, but he has three former Auburn teammates in the organization, all pitchers, and he’s happy with where he landed.

“It’s a super stressful time in the draft,” Irish said. “It’s just a ton of emotions that are running through you because you don’t really know what’s going to happen. I know this is a great organization. I know that they develop, especially left-handed hitters, with the best of them.

“And I’ve got a couple of former Auburn teammates — Trace Bright, Chase Allsup and Christian Herberholz — that just cannot say enough good things about it. So I’m really looking forward to it.”

Irish played with a big-time college baseball program, though Bodine’s Coastal Carolina Chanticleers made it all the way to the championship round, losing to LSU.

“It was awesome. I mean, no better way to go out,” Bodine said. “Obviously, we didn’t come out on top, but couldn’t be more prouder of them. It was just an experience of a lifetime seeing and playing in front of 28,000 people like that in the college setting … It was awesome, and I think our guys really enjoyed it.”

Irish hit .364 with a 1.179 OPS, 19 home runs and 58 RBIs. He also stole 11 bases in 12 tries.

“I think that the biggest thing is my ability to hit,” Irish said. “I think that I can hit to all fields … and through three years at Auburn, it’s been a pretty consistent performance that I put together. So I think that’s the biggest thing that the Orioles liked was my ability to hit the ball to all fields and showcase power and have a track record of doing it.”

Irish is already at Sarasota and knows there’s much to learn. He played more outfield in 2025 because he hurt his back after being hit by a pitch.

“I think my defense is definitely the biggest thing that I need to put a ton of time into,” he said. “Catching, it’s all about my receiving … So, if I’m going to catch, I’ve got to put a ton of time into receiving.

“If I’m in the outfield, I’ve got to put a ton of time into just learning how to play the outfield. The outfield is something I picked up my sophomore year in college … So I think [at] both positions, I just have to really work on my defense.”

Irish and Bodine are familiar with catcher Adley Rutschman, who was the first overall pick in 2019.

“I’ve watched a lot of Adley Rutschman,” Bodine said. “I watched him ever since he got called up and prior at Oregon State, so he’s a true talent to watch. I know the Orioles are very analytical and they take that into player development and everything, so looking forward to using that as an aid, as well.”

Bodine is looking forward to taking what he learned in college and applying it to a successful career with the Orioles.

“I think just the winning mentality, the blue-collar mentality,” he said. “Coastal ‘s a really big advocate of that, just really looking forward to fine-tuning some things and helping the team win.”

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com