Healthy Kjerstad Marches Toward MLB
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.
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 July callup—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.
—JON MEOLI
Teenager Cespedes Stands Out In DSL
Yoeilin Cespedes is just 17 and was in the Dominican Summer League, so it’s early to get too carried away by his performance.
Still, at the start of his professional career, the shortstop is showing signs of not only significant in-game power but a surprisingly mature approach that allows him to get to it with unusual frequency.
Already, Cespedes looks like one of the top hitting prospects to come through the organization’s academy since Rafael Devers a decade ago.
“He definitely stands out offensively,” Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero said. “He’s been one of the better offensive players that we’ve had there in a while.”
Through 24 games, Cespedes hit .326/.372/.529 with four home runs—including a 469-foot blast—to go with 10 walks and 15 strikeouts. His low walk
