From on the sphere to off it, the Orioles’ younger core of present and former high prospects are all the time competing. Heston Kjerstad knew that playful banter wouldn’t finish along with his first profession dwelling run Friday evening.
In his second massive league sport and first begin, Kjerstad clobbered a solo dwelling run in his third profession at-bat in Baltimore’s 7-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. He knew his buddy and former No. 1 prospect Gunnar Henderson beforehand one-upped him, although.
“He did it his second [at-bat], not the third one, so he had me beat on that one,” Kjerstad stated with fun.
The 24-year-old was promoted Thursday to achieve his vacation spot greater than three years after the Orioles made him the No. 2 total choose within the 2020 draft. The path he traveled to hit his first main league homer was windier than most gamers who obtain the feat.
He missed the primary two years of his profession with coronary heart and hamstring illnesses and didn’t make his skilled debut till June 10, 2022 — the two-year anniversary of being drafted. He didn’t play in 2021 due to the center situation myocarditis, and he missed the primary two months of 2022 with a extreme hamstring pressure. But he’s since zoomed by way of the Orioles’ farm system to achieve the present in simply over 15 months since his first minor league sport.
“That was surreal, honestly,” Kjerstad stated on his dwelling run. “I just wanted to get the first hit out of the way. To have it be a homer and see it go out of the yard and everything, it’s really amazing and truly something you dream of. Really awesome to be able to experience that.”
His 418-foot lengthy ball to proper discipline off Rays starter Zach Eflin was the Orioles’ first hit of the sport (and one in all solely two on the evening), because the right-hander carried a no-hit bid into the sixth. Kjerstad stated it meant much more doing it at Camden Yards in entrance of an introduced attendance of 43,359.
“You wouldn’t want to do it anywhere else,” he stated. “The stadium was sold out, packed out, the fans really showed some love today to the team.”
One of these followers caught Kjerstad’s dwelling run ball and traded it with the younger slugger in change for a signed bat and “a couple other things,” the designated hitter stated.
“Definitely worth it to get the ball back, for sure,” Kjerstad stated. “I appreciate the fan giving that back to me.”
Kjerstad was referred to as as much as the Orioles to offer a possible affect bat from the left aspect and depth off the bench because the crew makes a push to win the division. He crushed minor league pitching at each cease on his approach up the ladder, and maybe Friday’s homer was simply an appetizer for his future in Baltimore.
“You always think stuff up like this in your head,” Kjerstad stated. “It’s definitely way better than you can even imagine. It’s been awesome.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com
