Heston Kjerstad

Heston Sawyer Kjerstad (born February 12, 1999) is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Orioles selected Kjerstad in the first round of the 2020 MLB draft and he made his MLB debut on September 14, 2023.

Heston Kjerstad
Kjerstad with the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2019
Baltimore Orioles – No. 13
Outfielder/First baseman
Born: (1999-02-12) February 12, 1999
Amarillo, Texas, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 14, 2023, for the Baltimore Orioles
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.233
Home runs2
Runs batted in3
Teams

Amateur career

Kjerstad grew up in Amarillo, Texas, and attended Randall High School.[1] As a junior, he batted .477 with 32 RBIs and was named the District 3-5A Most Valuable Player and first team All-State.[2] Kjerstad was named first team All-State and District 3-5A Most Valuable Player again as a senior.[3][4] He was drafted in the 36th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft by the Seattle Mariners, but opted to play college baseball for the University of Arkansas instead.[5]

As a freshman, Kjerstad was a starting outfielder for the Arkansas Razorbacks. He batted .332 with 30 extra base hits, 14 home runs, 58 RBIs and was named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Freshman of the Year, second team All-SEC and a freshman All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.[6][7][8] He helped the team to the 2018 College World Series final and was named to the All-Tournament team.[9][10] As a sophomore, Kjerstad was again named second team All-SEC after batting .327 with 17 home runs and 51 RBI's.[11] During the summer, he played for the Team USA Collegiate National Baseball Team and batted .395 in 14 games.[12][13]

Kjerstad entered his junior season as a preseason first team All-American selection by Perfect Game and by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and as a top prospect for the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft.[14][15] He was named the SEC Player of the Week as well as the National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball for the first week of the season after going 7 for 13 with four home runs, 10 RBIs and six runs scored in the Razorbacks opening series against Eastern Illinois.[16][17] Kjerstad batted .448 with six home runs, 20 RBI's and 19 runs scored in 16 games before the season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.[18]

Professional career

The Baltimore Orioles selected Kjerstad in the first round, with the second overall pick, in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft.[19] Kjerstad signed with the Orioles on June 30, 2020, for a $5.2 million bonus.[20] Kjerstad developed myocarditis after signing and missed spring training and all of the 2021 season.[21]

After beginning the 2022 season in extended spring training, Kjerstad made his professional debut on June 10, 2022, for the Class-A Delmarva Shorebirds.[22] In early July, he was promoted to the High-A Aberdeen IronBirds after batting .463 with 37 hits and 17 RBIs in 22 games with Delmarva.[23] Kjerstad batted .233 average in 43 games playing for the IronBirds.[24] Kjerstad played in the 2022 Arizona Fall League, where he batted .371/.400/.663, and led the league in at bats (89) and doubles (9), as he was second in strikeouts (27).[25]

The Orioles invited Kjerstad to spring training in 2023 as a non-roster player; he batted .381 with four home runs in 23 games before being reassigned to minor league camp.[26] Kjerstad began the 2023 season with the Double-A Bowie Baysox and started playing first base in addition to outfield.[27] He hit .310 (57-for-184)/.383/.576/.959 and was among the Eastern League top five in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base plus slugging (OPS), triples, home runs, extra-base hits and hits with the Baysox before his promotion to the Norfolk Tides on June 5.[28] His first Triple-A homer was a leadoff inside-the-parker in the seventh inning of an 8–4 away win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders four days later on June 9.[29][30] Kjerstad was selected to play in the 2023 All-Star Futures Game.[31] Kjerstad batted .303 with 21 home runs and 55 RBI in 122 games between the two affiliates.

On September 14, 2023, Kjerstad was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time following an injury to Ryan Mountcastle.[32] He struck out as a pinch hitter for Jordan Westburg to lead off the eighth inning in a 4–3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in his MLB debut later that evening.[33] He got his first MLB hit in a 7–1 loss to the same opponent the following night on September 15 when he ended Zach Eflin's no-hitter attempt with a leadoff homer to right-center in the sixth.[34]

References
  1. "College World Series dream come true for Randall's Kjerstad". Amarillo Globe-News. June 16, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  2. "Arkansas Baseball Lands 19 Prospects On Signing Day". 5NewsOnline.com. November 17, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  3. "TSWA All-State Baseball Teams". Waco Tribune-Herald. August 7, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  4. Ritter, Tim (June 7, 2017). "King, Kjerstad share District 3-5A MVP Award". Canyon News. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  5. Warren, Thomas (June 16, 2017). "Randall's Kjerstad Drafted by Mariners". The Amarillo Pioneer. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  6. "Heston Kjerstad named SEC Freshman of the Year". THV11.com. May 21, 2018.
  7. "Randall grad Kjerstad named to freshman squad on 2018 D1 baseball freshman All-America team". Amarillo Globe-News. July 5, 2018.
  8. Cooper, J. J. (June 18, 2018). "Arkansas' Freshmen Help Lead Razorbacks Past Texas". Baseball America. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  9. "No summer ball for Hogs' Kjerstad". WholeHogSports.com. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. July 11, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  10. "Former Randall star, Arkansas OF Kjerstad preps for second straight appearance at the College World Series". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. June 14, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  11. Roulier, Pete (July 4, 2019). "Kjerstad and Martin to focus on plate discipline next season". 247Sports.com. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  12. Roulier, Pete (July 22, 2019). "Kjerstad shines for Team USA". 247Sports.com. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  13. "Razorbacks' Kjerstad impacts Team USA squad". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. July 26, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  14. Roulier, Pete (January 21, 2020). "Kjerstad continues to rake in preseason honors". 247Sports.com. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  15. Callis, Jim (August 22, 2019). "These are the best college 2020 Draft prospects". MLB.com. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  16. Roulier, Pete (February 17, 2020). "Razorback junior named National Player of the Week". 247Sports.com. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  17. Swofford, Bobby (February 16, 2020). "Kjerstad Belts Two More HR As Arkansas Sweeps Eastern Illinois". 5NewsOnline.com. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  18. Roulier, Pete (March 14, 2020). "Heston Kjerstad was enjoying phenomenal junior season". Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  19. "Five things to know about Orioles' No. 2 overall pick Heston Kjerstad". Baltimore Sun. June 11, 2020.
  20. Trezza, Joe (July 1, 2020). "Orioles sign No. 2 overall pick Kjerstad". MLB.com. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  21. Trezzo, Joe (April 20, 2021). "Kjerstad to report to O's alt site (source)". MLB.com. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  22. "O's Kjerstad makes pro debut, collects 1st hit, after 2-year wait". MLB.com.
  23. "Heston Kjerstad earns first promotion after just 22 games". 11 July 2022.
  24. "Ten most interesting Orioles prospects to follow throughout minor leagues in 2023". Baltimore Sun. March 16, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  25. "The Official Site of Major League Baseball". MLB.com.
  26. "Hot-hitting Kjerstad sent to minors after Orioles' spring win over Blue Jays". CBS Baltimore. March 22, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  27. Rill, Jake (April 9, 2023). "Kjerstad tries hand at first base in Double-A". MLB.com. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  28. Stanley, John. "Kjerstad, Lucas Promoted to Triple-A Norfolk," Norfolk Tides, Monday, June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  29. Rill, Jake. "Kjerstad's first Triple-A homer was anything but normal," MLB.com, Sunday, June 11, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  30. Dearth, Sonny. "Tides club five home runs, Rodriguez strikes out 10 in road victory vs. RailRiders," The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), Friday, June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  31. "Orioles prospects Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad to play in MLB All-Star Futures Game in Seattle". Baltimore Sun. June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  32. "Orioles' Heston Kjerstad: Officially up for MLB debut". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  33. Trister, Noah. "Rays open series in Baltimore with 4–3 victory, pull within game of Orioles in AL East," The Associated Press (AP), Thursday, September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  34. Rill, Jake. "Kjerstad crushes 418-ft homer for first big league hit," MLB.com, Friday, September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
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