In late April, Bowie Baysox supervisor Kyle Moore spoke about how simple the Double-A stage was trying to Heston Kjerstad.
“I haven’t really seen him struggle. I’m sure he will. Everybody struggles a little bit,” Moore stated in regards to the second-highest stage within the minor leagues. “I’m looking forward to the day where he has to make a little bit more of an adjustment.”
That day by no means got here as Kjerstad, the No. 2 total decide in 2020, was promoted to Triple-A Norfolk on Monday after hitting .310 with a .960 OPS with the Baysox.
“He’s the only hitter I’ve seen this year that’s pretty much ready to hit in the big leagues,” Moore stated. “Right now, he’s physically better than everybody in the league, and he’s showing that.”
Kjerstad’s journey from first-round draft decide to a prospect one name away from an enormous league call-up didn’t come simple. He didn’t play knowledgeable sport for 2 years after he was drafted out of the University of Arkansas due to myocarditis, a coronary heart situation, and a extreme left hamstring pressure. Once he made his return final summer season, Kjerstad dominated Low-A ball and was promoted to High-A Aberdeen, the place he struggled earlier than successful the Arizona Fall League Most Valuable Player Award.
His efficiency this 12 months, although, has been a transparent step up. Statistically, he was Baltimore’s greatest hitter at spring coaching, posting a .381 batting common and a 1.219 OPS in 44 Grapefruit League plate appearances. He adopted that up by hitting 10 doubles, three triples and 11 dwelling runs in 46 video games with Bowie, failing to have a full week with an OPS under .700.
“He had to take so much time off to get over what he was going through that it was almost like he had to restart his career,” Moore stated. “I believe it simply took him a 12 months or so to get again going.
“I thought coaching him would be a big challenge, just given his history, given the fact that he was a second overall pick, he struggled in Aberdeen last year a little bit. I was really looking forward to the challenge of coaching this kid, and truthfully, he’s been a dream. It’s just been brilliant to watch him work. He’s been super receptive to everything I’ve talked to him about.”
Bowie hitting coach Sherman Johnson has additionally been impressed with Kjerstad, noting that his success on the plate was primarily based not simply on his supreme expertise, however on “home, game planning and watching video.”
“He’s really been a joy to work with, honestly,” Johnson stated. “If he swings at the right pitches, he’s going to play a long time in this game. He’s got a really sick ability to impact the ball, hit it at good angles and the swing and miss is starting to get better.”
Where Kjerstad suits in Baltimore is a query dealing with the 24-year-old and the Orioles. He was drafted as an outfielder, however he spent nearly half his time with the Baysox at first base, a place he by no means performed professionally earlier than this season. In his minor league profession, Kjerstad has performed 64 video games in proper discipline, three in left discipline and 16 at first base.
“The biggest outlier for him and his development is: Where is he gonna play?” Moore stated. “That’s what we were working on every single day here — early defense every day, ground balls every day. Everything that we could do defensively we’re pouring onto this guy because we need him to be an average defender in the big leagues.”
Kjerstad’s promotion wasn’t the one information to come back out of the Orioles’ farm. That’s why every week, The Baltimore Sun will break down 5 of the highest performers in Baltimore’s prospect ranks and hand out some superlatives for many who didn’t make that lower.
1. High-A Aberdeen shortstop Jackson Holliday
Last week was the worst of Holliday’s season. In truth, it was his first dangerous week of the season. But that didn’t cease the accolades or reward from coming in, Holliday was named the South Atlantic League Player of the Month after hitting .384 with a 1.137 OPS in May. Despite his 2-for-18 batting line final week, the 19-year-old’s OPS with the IronBirds continues to be 1.023. Between Low- and High-A, the 2022 No. 1 total decide is slashing .351/.479/.595 with simply three extra strikeouts (43) than walks (40).
2. High-A Aberdeen right-hander Alex Pham
Holliday wasn’t the one IronBird to win a month-to-month award. Pham was named the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month for his stellar efficiency in May. In 23 1/3 innings, the 23-year-old posted a 1.54 ERA and a .128 batting common towards. In two begins final week, he allowed seven hits and 4 runs in 8 2/3 innings whereas placing out 10. In his first outing, he tossed 5 scoreless innings, surrendering only one hit and two walks in his second win of the season. On the 12 months, Pham, a Nineteenth-round decide in 2021, has a 2.90 ERA and a 33.1% strikeout price.
3. Triple-A Norfolk infielder Jordan Westburg
In 648 plate appearances at Triple-A, Westburg is slashing .286/.370/.542 with 39 doubles, 33 homers, 122 RBIs, 14 stolen bases and 68 walks. Weeks just like the final have gotten the norm for Westburg, because the 24-year-old went 7-for-25 with three doubles, two dwelling runs, three walks and 4 RBIs. Westburg, Baltimore’s No. 5 prospect, is hitting .308 with a .988 OPS this season as he pushes for a promotion to the majors. His 15 dwelling runs lead all Orioles minor leaguers.
4. Double-A Bowie outfielder Donta’ Williams
Williams was hitting .126 with a .444 OPS and 5 extra-base hits via the primary six weeks of the season. But after back-to-back stellar weeks, the 23-year-old’s common is as much as .200 with a .665 OPS. Williams, a fourth-round decide in 2021, went 9-for-18 final week with 5 doubles, six RBIs and three walks, together with three-hit video games Thursday and Sunday.
5. High-A Aberdeen right-hander Daniel Lloyd
Lloyd had a 7.64 ERA after his first 5 outings of the season, permitting 25 hits and 15 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings. In his 15 innings since, the 22-year-old has struck out 16 and allowed simply three earned runs. In his begin Friday, he struck out seven throughout 5 innings, permitting one run (zero earned), three hits and one stroll. Lloyd, a 14th-round decide in 2021, now has a 4.96 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP.
The high prospect not featured to this point
Grayson Rodriguez was 4 2/3 innings away from graduating from Baseball America’s prospect standing after his begin May 26, however he was despatched right down to Triple-A after struggling for a lot of the month. In his first begin again within the minors Sunday, he threw six innings — a feat he didn’t accomplish in his 10 begins within the huge leagues. Rodriguez, Baltimore’s high pitching prospect, walked 5 as his command points continued, however he didn’t permit a run and surrendered only one hit.
International acquisition of the week
Across two reduction outings final week, Delmarva right-hander César Álvarez pitched 5 innings with out permitting an earned run. The 20-year-old pitched three scoreless innings Wednesday with three strikeouts, and 4 days later, he allowed an unearned run and struck out one in two innings. Since the Orioles signed him as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela in July 2019, Álvarez has pitched simply 65 innings, however he has a 2.35 ERA and 11.4 strikeouts per 9 innings between rookie ball and Low-A.
Time to present a shout-out to …
Norfolk outfielder Shayne Fontana. The 25-year-old’s 1.113 OPS final week was one of many highest within the group. Fontana, a Twenty third-round decide in 2019, struggled when he reached Triple-A final season, hitting simply .180 in 18 video games. But in 32 video games on the highest minor league stage this season, Fontana has a .775 OPS. In 20 plate appearances final week, Fontana went 7-for-16 with three walks, two doubles and 4 RBIs.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com