The roads that Jackson Holliday and Heston Kjerstad have taken thus far of their careers couldn’t be extra totally different.
Holliday, the No. 1 general decide in final yr’s draft, has dominated in his first yr {of professional} ball to zoom up prospect rankings. Kjerstad, in the meantime, missed the primary two years of his profession after being drafted No. 2 general in 2020 with coronary heart and hamstring illnesses, solely to reemerge up to now yr and zoom by means of Baltimore’s minor league system.
Despite their variations, the 2 prospects will share a subject subsequent month to signify Baltimore on the 2023 MLB All-Star Futures Game — a showcase of the game’s prime minor league expertise.
For Holliday, the Futures Game nod comes lower than 24 hours after he moved as much as No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s prospect rating Sunday night time. Between Low-A Delmarva and High-A Aberdeen, the 19-year-old is slashing .325/.463/.532 — good for a .994 OPS — with 27 extra-base hits, 20 stolen bases and a good strikeout-to-walk ratio. Holliday remains to be ranked No. 2 by Baseball America, with the one prospect forward of him taking part in towards the Orioles this week at Camden Yards in Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz.
After beginning his 2022 season final June in Low-A, Kjerstad has jumped all the way in which to Triple-A because of a scorching-hot bat. The outfielder-first baseman posted a .960 OPS with Double-A Bowie earlier than incomes a promotion to Norfolk, the place he’s hit .286 with 4 homers in 17 video games. According to Baseball America, the 24-year-old is the eighth-best prospect in Baltimore’s system and No. 76 general.
After Jordan Westburg’s huge league call-up Monday, Orioles supervisor Brandon Hyde stated he’s frequently impressed with how the group’s prospects — ranked by Baseball America as the most effective of any within the sport — are performing.
“You look at what our prospects are doing, our offensive prospects especially with the numbers they’re putting up in Double-A and Triple-A and Jackson at High-A at 19, it’s extremely exciting for us, not only up here, but in the organization going forward,” Hyde stated. “It’s fun to see we’re on a lot of top lists and Jackson gets No. 1 prospect, so that’s a credit to a lot of people and it shows you how healthy we are, especially at the plate and from a hitting standpoint. We have a lot of fun guys to watch right now and more guys who will be making their debuts for the next couple years.”
Holliday and Kjerstad observe within the footsteps of different Orioles prospects to take part within the Futures Game. Last yr, infielder Gunnar Henderson represented Baltimore on the occasion earlier than making his MLB debut in late August and changing into the game’s prime prospect within the offseason. In 2021, catcher Adley Rutschman, MLB’s No. 1 prospect on the time, and right-hander Marcos Diplán performed within the sport.
Other latest Baltimore prospects to play within the Futures Game embody left-hander DL Hall (2019), left-hander Alexander Wells (2018), outfielder Ryan Mountcastle (2018), left-hander Tanner Scott (2017), catcher Chance Sisco (2016 and 2017) and right-hander Hunter Harvey (2013).
The Futures Game will probably be televised on Peacock on July 8 at 7 p.m. as a part of the All-Star Break festivities at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
Orioles followers have the prospect to ship one other member of the group to Seattle in two weeks with the second spherical of All-Star Game voting starting Monday. Rutschman is up towards the Texas Rangers’ Jonah Heim to begin behind the plate for the American League for what could be the primary All-Star Game look for both backstop. Voting ends at midday Thursday, with followers allowed to vote as soon as per 24-hour interval, and the winners at every place will probably be revealed at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com