Fully Healthy, Heston Kjerstad Marches Toward Baltimore
After two years of health setbacks, 24-year-old outfielder Heston Kjerstad was showing in his first full minor league season that his power was worth the wait.
It took until last June for the No. 2 overall pick in 2020 to get on the field after missing all of 2021 with myocarditis—inflammation of the heart muscle—and then injuring his hamstring during spring training in 2022.
Kjerstad played 65 games last season at Low-A and High-A and put up an .851 OPS with five home runs as he re-acclimated himself with the game. An MVP performance in the Arizona Fall League signaled that he was ready for the upper levels this season.
Kjerstad impressed in big league spring training before being assigned to Double-A Bowie and hitting 11 home runs with a .960 OPS. The Orioles promoted him to Triple-A Norfolk in early June, and he earned International League player of the week honors for his first full week at the level.
The Arkansas product is proud of how he has improved in the last year.
“Sometimes, you have to have a little bit of time to work through some things,” Kjerstad said. “Last year, I worked through some stuff and was just getting back to where I wanted to be.
“Even now, when you’re in a good spot or you’re playing good, you still want to be better. There’s still some things you’re not totally cool with, or things you want to improve. That’s just baseball.”
Kjerstad’s emergence has put him firmly back into the Orioles’ top prospect mix, and the lefthanded hitter could be in Baltimore sooner than later. Given the Orioles’ major league outfield depth—and fellow top prospect Colton Cowser’s proximity—Kjerstad was playing some first base to create more avenues.
The Orioles could conceivably call up Kjerstad, who was drafted one year ahead of Cowser, down the stretch if he continues to hit in Triple-A. Norfolk hitting coach Brink Ambler said he was adjusting well.
“He does really good intentional work,” Ambler said. “He levels up to things really nicely, which is great.”
BIRD SEED
— Outfielder Jud Fabian, drafted out of Florida in the the second round last year, was the first from his draft class to reach Double-A after his June 20 promotion. He hit nine home runs with an .882 OPS and 19 stolen bases at High-A Aberdeen.
— Cuban infielder Cesar Prieto returned to Bowie this season and earned a promotion to Triple-A with a productive first half. The 24-year-old hit .364 with an .882 OPS and 15 walks against 17 strikeouts in 58 games.
