This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
BALTIMORE -- As Day 1 of the 2025 MLB Draft unfolded during the night of July 13, Caden Bodine sat at the Pennsauken Country Club (close to his hometown of Haddon Heights, N.J.) surrounded by friends and family. Then, the moment came.
Bodine, a catcher out of Coastal Carolina University, was selected by the Orioles at No. 30 overall, a compensation pick after the first round. He also became the second backstop taken by Baltimore in a span of 12 picks, as Auburn’s Ike Irish previously went to the O’s at No. 19.
Was Bodine surprised to go to the Orioles after watching a fellow catcher get taken by the organization shortly before?
“I mean, he’s a good player, right?” Bodine said.
Indeed. In fact, Irish and Bodine are both good players, which is why Baltimore did what it did.
The Orioles have assembled quite a pipeline of catching talent. Adley Rutschman (the 2019 No. 1 overall pick) is in the big leagues. Samuel Basallo (Baltimore’s No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 9 overall) is at Triple-A Norfolk as the top catching prospect in baseball.
2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike
Day 1 (Rounds 1-3): Pick-by-pick analysis | Top storylines
Day 2 (Rounds 4-20): Round-by-round analysis
- Best hauls | Biggest steals | Tracker | Bonus tracker
- Pipeline Podcast analyzes Draft
- Picks with famous family ties
- Corona HS makes Draft history
- Top 250 prospects | Bonus pools & pick values
- Complete coverage
More on the top picks:
1. WSH: Willits | 2. LAA: Bremner | 3. SEA: Anderson | 4. TEX: Holliday | 5. STL: Doyle
6. PIT: Hernandez | 7. MIA: Arquette | 8. TOR: Parker | 9. CIN: Hall | 10. CWS: Carlson
Now, Irish and Bodine have joined the organization and will begin to work their way up the Minor League ranks.
For Irish, there’s been uncertainty about whether he’ll stick at catcher long term. The 21-year-old was only behind the plate for 12 games this year at Auburn due to a fractured right scapula. He played 45 games in the outfield, with 41 of those coming in right.
With the scapula “totally healed,” Irish is ready for whatever the Orioles have planned for him -- which could be a little bit of everything at first.
“We haven’t had those conversations yet. And to be honest, wherever they think is best,” Irish said. “If they think that catching is the best route, I’m all in. If they think the outfield is the best route, I’m all in. And if they think that it’s a combination of it, then I’m all in.”
No matter where Irish plays, Baltimore is expecting big things out of his left-handed bat. The former Tiger has a 60-grade hit tool and 55-grade power, both of which he showed while hitting .364 with 19 home runs and a 1.179 OPS in 55 games during the 2025 season at Auburn.
“The biggest thing is my ability to hit,” Irish said. “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.”
The switch-hitting Bodine also has a 60-grade hit tool. The 21-year-old hit .318 with a .915 OPS in 67 games during the 2025 season at Coastal Carolina, helping the Chanticleers reach the College World Series finals (where they lost in two games to LSU).
But Bodine is a more natural catcher. He even won this year’s Buster Posey Award, which is given each season to the top backstop in NCAA Division I.
“I grew up watching [Posey] my whole life, and he’s always been a role model for me,” Bodine said. “I just love catching. Catching is my baby. I’m just super fortunate to be able to be back there and control a pitching staff and be in every single pitch. I love it.”
Bodine believes he can bring more to the Orioles’ organization than plus hitting and prowess behind the plate, though.
“Just the winning mentality. The blue-collar mentality,” Bodine said. “Coastal is a really big advocate of that, and just really looking forward to fine-tuning some more things and helping the team win.”
Irish and Bodine have each reported to the O’s complex in Sarasota, Fla., to complete medical itineraries and get checked in. They could play games in the Florida Complex League before eventually going to Single-A Delmarva sometime in the near future.
Matt Blood, Baltimore’s vice president of player development and domestic scouting, is eager to see where the catching duo’s careers go from here.
“We are thrilled with the talent we got,” Blood said.