Heston Kjerstad’s offseason was shorter than a typical participant’s. He nonetheless felt it lasted too lengthy.
“I used to be getting fairly bored,” Kjerstad stated, “itching to get again out right here to play once more.”
A lot of Kjerstad’s time within the Orioles’ farm system has been spent with that itch. Drafted second total in 2020, the outfielder went two years earlier than taking an at-bat for a Baltimore affiliate, growing the guts situation myocarditis shortly after the draft and struggling a extreme left hamstring pressure final spring.
He’s spent this one exhibiting “what sort of hitter he could be,” supervisor Brandon Hyde stated. Kjerstad has eight hits in his 17 spring at-bats, homering the opposite approach within the first two and lacing a 107.2 mph triple Thursday in Clearwater. Coming into Friday’s exhibition — wherein he went 0-for-2 however hit the ball laborious twice — solely 4 gamers all through the league had as many plate appearances as Kjerstad with a better OPS.
“That’s what you need,” Kjerstad stated. “To have the ability to type of execute issues at a stage that you just suppose you may, it’s fulfilling, and it additionally proves to your self, ‘OK, I’m able to this. I would like to carry myself to this normal and this stage.’”
Kjerstad’s run of success extends past a handful of exhibition at-bats. He dominated at Low-A Delmarva and bounced again from struggling at Excessive-A Aberdeen by incomes Most Useful Participant honors within the Arizona Fall League, together with his participation stretching his season into November. His output there, a .357/.385/.622 slash line throughout 104 plate appearances, landed him in MLB Pipeline’s rankings of baseball’s high 100 prospects.
Kjerstad had little greater than three months between the top of the AFL and the beginning of spring coaching, and though it “flew by,” he stated, that was solely as a result of he has skilled a for much longer break between motion. He’s grateful the main focus, internally and externally, is on baseball.
“That’s all I wish to do,” Kjerstad stated. “Displaying up every single day, simply with the ability to try this, it’s actually fulfilling.”
Hyde stated Kjerstad is among the many gamers making the strongest impressions this spring. In latest days, Kjerstad has began working with infield coach Tony Mansolino at first base, a place he briefly performed at Arkansas. The added place would improve his versatility and presumably widen his path to Camden Yards.
It may not be lengthy earlier than the Orioles attempt to create area for a swing Hyde stated “can match wherever as a result of he can hit the ball out of any ballpark, wherever in any ballpark.”
“He hits the ball so laborious,” Hyde stated. “He’s received as a lot uncooked energy as anyone in camp. … This man’s gonna develop into a extremely good hitter. Potential enormous energy man, simply because he’s seeking to do injury on the plate.
“What he’s been by to what he's proper now, it’s actually, actually spectacular.”
That energy is what prompted the Orioles to unexpectedly take him with their first decide in 2020 when he was projected to go later within the first spherical. The group believed he was one of the best left-handed hitter accessible and that he might shortly rise by their system to be in the midst of their main league lineup.
Two misplaced years prevented that, however Kjerstad has proven the potential to catch up. His efficiency within the AFL and this spring have him poised to open the yr at Double-A Bowie, the place a robust season might finish within the majors.
After all, it could additionally must be a wholesome season, and after what he’s been by, Kjerstad could be very a lot trying ahead to at least one.
“That sounds superior,” he stated. “Hopefully, that’s the case this yr. Knock on wooden that it goes that approach. That’s what you sit up for, you recognize, with the ability to go on the market the entire season as a result of then it provides you extra time to enhance, extra time to get higher. You’ve received to be on the market enjoying to get higher, for probably the most half, so it’ll be good to have the ability to hopefully get in a complete season, so long as I keep wholesome, keep on the sector and see how a lot I can study and the way good I can turn into.”
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