Heston Kjerstad’s offseason was shorter than a typical participant’s. He nonetheless felt it lasted too lengthy.
“I was getting pretty bored,” Kjerstad mentioned, “itching to get back out here to play again.”
Much of Kjerstad’s time within the Orioles’ farm system has been spent with that itch. Drafted second general in 2020, the outfielder went two years earlier than taking an at-bat for a Baltimore affiliate, creating the center situation myocarditis shortly after the draft and struggling a extreme left hamstring pressure final spring.
He’s spent this one displaying “what kind of hitter he can be,” supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned. Kjerstad has eight hits in his 17 spring at-bats, homering the opposite method within the first two and lacing a 107.2 mph triple Thursday in Clearwater. Entering Friday’s exhibition — through which he went 0-for-2 however hit the ball exhausting twice — solely 4 gamers all through the league had as many plate appearances as Kjerstad with the next OPS.
“That’s what you want,” Kjerstad mentioned. “To be able to kind of execute things at a level that you think you can, it’s enjoyable, and it also proves to yourself, ‘OK, I’m capable of this. I need to hold myself to this standard and this level.’”
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 High-A Aberdeen by incomes Most Valuable Player 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 mentioned, 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 want to do,” Kjerstad mentioned. “Showing up every day, just being able to do that, it’s really enjoyable.”
Hyde mentioned Kjerstad is among the many gamers making the strongest impressions this spring. In current 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 probably widen his path to Camden Yards.
It won’t be lengthy earlier than the Orioles attempt to create area for a swing Hyde mentioned “can fit anywhere because he can hit the ball out of any ballpark, anywhere in any ballpark.”
“He hits the ball so hard,” Hyde mentioned. “He’s obtained 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 trying to do injury on the plate.
“What he’s been through to what he is right now, it’s really, really impressive.”
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 out there and that he may rapidly rise by means of their system to be in the course 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 may finish within the majors.
Of course, it will additionally should be a wholesome season, and after what he’s been by means of, Kjerstad could be very a lot trying ahead to 1.
“That sounds awesome,” he mentioned. “Hopefully, that’s the case this year. Knock on wood that it goes that way. That’s what you look forward to, you know, being able to go out there the whole season because then it gives you more time to improve, more time to get better. You’ve got to be out there playing to get better, for the most part, so it’ll be good to be able to hopefully get in a whole season, as long as I stay healthy, stay on the field and see how much I can learn and how good I can become.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com