Tag: Heston Kjerstad

Baltimore promotes outfielder Heston Kjerstad to majors

Kjerstad is back in The Show. Can he stay this time with the Os?

Outfielder Heston Kjerstad made his MLB debut Tuesday after Baltimore promoted the former Arkansas star from Triple-A Norfolk.

Kjerstad, the No. 2 overall pick from Arkansas by the Orioles in 2020, made his big-league debut last year, playing in 11 games for the Birds. He started the 2024 season with the Tides and has slashed .349/.431/.744 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI in just 102 plate appearances.

On Tuesday in his debut against the Angels, Kjerstad went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in the Orioles’ 7-4 loss.

The spot in the majors opened when Baltimore outfield Austin Hays was placed on IL with a calf injury. Hays was an All-Star for the Orioles in 2023, but was hitting just .111 with zero extra-base hits at the time of his injury.

Kjerstad entered the year as the No. 29 prospect in all of baseball and the fourth highest-rated prospect in the Orioles system. Despite being drafted in 2020, Kjerstad didn’t truly start his career until 2022 after a heart condition knocked him out of the entire 2021 season. A hamstring injury delayed his beginning in 2022, even, as well.

Kjerstad joins Dominic Fletcher and Andrew Benintendi as former Arkansas outfielders now in the Major Leagues.

WATCH: Kjerstad blasts home run for first MLB hit

Heston Kjerstad’s first major league hit? Goes yard. We saw that a few times at Baum-Walker.

A towering home run that would’ve made Boog Powell and Eddie Murray proud.

Heston Kjerstad made his first Major League Baseball hit one to remember, a 418-foot shot to deep right center at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The Oriole fans in attendance shouted out with joy, one of the first times they’d been able to all night as the team was down 7-0 to division rival Tampa Bay.

Kjerstad finished his night 1 for 2 from his designated hitter role.

Baltimore is in the midst of a four-game losing streak and it has allowed the Rays to tie them in the AL East.

There are 13 games to go in the regular season, and the O’s are about to embark on a 7-game road trip before returning home to face Washington and Boston to close out  things.

Orioles’ Kjerstad makes MLB debut in 8th on Thursday

Heston Kjerstad was called up as a pinch-hitter late in a playoff push game for Baltimore.

Heston Kjerstad got thrown into the fire on Thursday night.

With Baltimore in a dead heat with Tampa Bay for the American League East crown, the former Razorback outfielder came up in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter.

Unfortunately, he struck out, but there will be more opportunities for the lefty down the road.

The Orioles lost to the Rays, 4-3, and their lead in the American League East is down to just a single game with just under three weeks to go.

Kjerstad entered the season as Baltimore’s No. 2-ranked prospect behind Gunnar Henderson. Henderson has spent the whole year as the Orioles starting shortstop and is among the favorites for Rookie of the Year.

The former Arkansas leftfielder has a .904 OPS in 143 games between the Double-A and Triple-A levels this year in the franchise. And even with his long-term projection being higher than the short, that the Orioles would call him up in the heat of a playoff push speaks tremendous value to what they believe they have with him right now.

Kjerstad gets the call to the big leagues

Heston Kjerstad may be getting the call to the Orioles’ 40-man roster right in the middle of a division title race.

Heston Kjerstad has been on the fast track to the majors, and the Baltimore Orioles have elevated him to the big show.

With the O’s in a dead heat with the Tampa Bay Rays for the American League East crown and home field advantage in the MLB playoffs, it’s time to make some noise.

Ryan Mountcastle got injured in Wednesday night’s 1-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. He said he felt his shoulder pop.

By virtue of moving Mountcastle to the injured list, Kjerstad is getting the call, but he may or may not be activated for tonight’s game against the Rays.

Kjerstad is slashing .303/.376/.904 this season with 21 home runs and 55 RBI in AAA.

Could it be time for Orioles to call up Heston Kjerstad?

Heston Kjerstad is absolutely teeing off on AAA pitching and it’s probably only a matter of time before he’s in the big show.

The Baltimore Orioles are currently leading the American League East as the season turns towards August and the final stretch leading into the playoffs.

With the Tampa Bay Rays still hot on their trail, they may need to do something to give themselves some distance.

One thing they could do is call up former Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad.

With those kinds of performances, it’s only a matter of time before the Orioles’ front office is essentially forced to.

Arkansas fans never got to see the final act of Kjerstad’s career here. He was on a tear in 2020 through 16 games before the season was cut short because of COVID-19.

 

Former Arkansas outfielder named MVP of Arizona Fall League

Former Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad, once the No. 2 overall pick, is making his march toward the Big Leagues.

Heston Kjerstad is on the verge.

The former Arkansas outfielder was taken second overall in the 2020 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. Big things were expected, but Kjerstad was diagnosed with myocarditis and didn’t make his professional debut until this past June.

The Orioles sent him to the Arizona Fall League this offseason and he rewarded their patience by earning Most Valuable Player honors, it was announced Saturday. Kjerstad led the AFL in hits, doubles and total bases. He had a slash line of .357/.385/.622.

Previous MVPs in the Arizona Fall League include Nolan Arenado, Kris Bryant and Ronald Acuna Jr.

During his primary season in the summer, split between High-A and Single-A, Kjerstad five home runs in 65 games, slashing .309/.394/.457. He is the Orioles ninth-rated prospect entering the spring.

Movin on’ up: Kjerstad receives promotion to High-A

It did not take long for Heston Kjerstad to make an impression, as he is receiving a promotion just 22 games into his professional career.

[autotag]Heston Kjerstad[/autotag] is having a memorable welcome back to the game he loves.

Since being sidelined due to a mix of the COVID-19 pandemic, a heart condition, and a hamstring injury through the first two seasons of his professional career, the former Razorback is finally getting a chance to prove his worth in the Baltimore Orioles organization. He is doing so at a high pace by receiving a promotion just one month after making his professional debut.

The Orioles announced Monday that Kjerstad has been promoted from Single-A Delmarva to High-A Aberdeen, and is set to suit up for the Ironbirds on Tuesday night when they face Jersey Shore for a six-game series.

Kjerstad says that he welcomes the challenge of moving up another level.

“I’m just ready for a new challenge, another level of play, and just continuing doing what I’ve been doing and keep enjoying baseball,” Kjerstad said. “There are a lot of great players. It’s unreal. The guys I was facing in Low-A, there were numerous guys throwing 98 with unreal changeups and everything. Everybody can play and everybody can compete, so you’ve got to be ready every day.”

Kjerstad played in 22 games for the Delmarva Shorebirds, where he batted .463 with two home runs and 17 RBI in 80 plate appearances.

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