Prospect Profile: Heston Kjerstad
Age: 22 (DOB: 2/12/99)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 220 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2020 Draft – Round 1
Rule V Eligible: 2023
For more reasons than baseball,the most important note on Kjerstad is the one on his health. After battling myocarditis since late 2020, it seems he’s turned the corner and has now resumed normal baseball activities for the first time since the Orioles drafted him with the second overall pick in 2020. Welcome news for everyone.
Baseball-wise, watching Kjerstad’s swing, several things stick out immediately. He implements a significant front leg kick which can typically leave hitters open to inconsistency, yet he does show solid balance throughout. A back-to-front bat loop also seems to be cemented in his trigger, but he keeps his hands planted back until he absolutely needs them, a terrific hitting habit.
A little more on Kjersty’s swing. Absolutely love it. Kids gonna punish. pic.twitter.com/7qFwUAtxpI
— ? Lima Charlie (@LimaCharlie26) February 1, 2022
With only slightly above average bat speed, Kjerstad leans primarily on his bat path to do most of the heavy lifting. His bat’s uphill grade on pitches high in the zone and uppercut swing on balls down low will both generate excellent launch angle opportunities. His raw power and the laws of physics will do the rest.
Kjerstad isn’t going to break (or even breathe on) any stolen base records. His long frame is powerful and his strides cover more than enough ground to leg out a few bang-bang doubles, but speed is not his game.
His defense can be accurately summed up in a word: solid. He’s certainly an upgrade form the recent liabilities that Baltimore has been trotting out into right field. His arm is accurate yet average. Honestly before the expansion at Camden Yards I would have said that it probably played much better from left field than from right…still might.
The reccurring knock I keep seeing is that he shouldn’t be expected to hit for average. I’m not sure if there’s a little bias that comes baked into left handed power hitters, but his strikeout rate through college isn’t exactly glaring by any means. He also comes with a good ability pick up spin and hit most pitches to all fields consistently. In college he posted a 1.011 OPS and a .421 OBP, so yeah, I’m not sure how accurate or frankly even how relevant a low AVG prediction will be. But if I was forced to range it I don’t think .270 is a far off floor.
Ultimately the potential I think the Orioles have in Kjerstad is a perennial everyday contributor who protects the middle of the lineup very well, has a floor of 30 bombs a year, maintains a .400 OBP and ranges just north of a 100 OPS+. But there will be a stark decrease of funny memes from the Oriole’s outfield. And I’m more than okay with that.
