Heston Kjerstad

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Heston Sawyer Kjerstad

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Biographical Information[edit]

Outfielder Heston Kjerstad was the second overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft, by the Baltimore Orioles. While Kjerstad was one of the top-rated college players in the country, the pick was considered a surprise as almost all observers had expected Spencer Torkelson and Austin Martin to be the first two players selected, with the Orioles taking whichever of the two the Detroit Tigers hadn't plucked with the first pick. However, after the Bengals had taken Torkelson, the Orioles selected Kjerstad, who was described as the best left-handed power hitter in the draft. His older brother, Dexter Kjerstad, played in the minors from 2014-2018.

Coming out of high school, Kjerstad had been drafted in the 36th round by the Seattle Mariners in 2017, but elected to attend college at the University of Arkansas instead. He hit .332 with 16 doubles and 14 homers as a freshman in 2018, and .327 with 17 homers as a sophomore the next year. His 14 homers in 2018 set the school record for a freshman. That year, his team made it to the final game of the 2018 College World Series, where they lost to Oregon State University - led by Adley Rutschman, the Orioles' top pick in the 2019 amateur draft. When the coronavirus pandemic brought the 2020 season to a premature end, Heston was hitting a scorching .448 with 6 homers in 16 games, only confirming his status as one of the top college players in the country. He was a high school teammate of Grayson Rodriguez, another top Orioles prospect, and played at Arkansas with yet another member of the Baltimore system, Blaine Knight.

It took some time for Heston to make his professional debut, because the minor leagues were shut down by the pandemic during the summer when he signed, and he then missed all of 2021 because of myocarditis, a side effect of a case of COVID-19. He then suffered a severe hamstring strain in spring training in 2022, setting him back by another two to three months. The long awaited day finally came on June 10th for the Delmarva Shorebirds of the Carolina League, playing DH, and collected his first professional hit that day. On June 24th, he hit his first homer as a professional in his 10th game, against the Lynchburg Hillcats. He also played for the High-A Aberdeen IronBirds that season, hitting a combined .309/.394/.467 in 65 games.

He was named to the American League team for the 2023 Futures Game. He started the 2023 season with the AA Bowie BaySox, where he hit .310 in 46 games, and the AAA Norfolk Tides, where he hit .298 in 76 games. His combined line was an excellent .303/.376/.528 in 122 games, as his power blossomed with 29 doubles, 8 triples and 21 homers. He scored 87 runs and drove in 55. On September 14th, he became the latest in an impressive line of Orioles prospects to reach the majors, being used as a pinch-hitter for Jordan Westburg in the 8th inning of a 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. He struck out against Robert Stephenson and did not play in the field that day. In 13 games, he hit .233 with 2 homers and 3 RBIs and was left off the postseason roster. In spring training in 2024, he was in a competition for one back-up outfield spot with two other former top draft picks, Colton Cowser and Kyle Stowers, and Cowser came out ahead although all three were clearly ready to play in the majors but the Orioles were so loaded with young talent that it just was not possible. On April 3rd, he set a franchise record with Norfolk by racking up 10 RBIs, thanks to a pair of homers and three other hits, in a record-setting 26-11 win over the Charlotte Knights.

Further Reading[edit]

  • Sam Dykstra: "O's prospect draws on lessons from Griffey in return", mlb.com, March 4, 2023. [1]
  • Zachary Silver: "O's Kjerstad makes pro debut, collects 1st hit, after 2-year wait", mlb.com, June 11, 2022. [2]
  • Joe Trezza: "O's shock at No. 2 with 'favorite bat' Kjerstad: Club chooses Mississippi State SS Westburg 30th overall", mlb.com, June 11, 2020. [3]
  • Joe Trezza: "'OK, I'm back': Kjerstad blasts first pro homer", mlb.com, June 24, 2022. [4]

Related Sites[edit]

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