2024 Stats
AVG
.253
HR
4
RBI
14
R
8
SB
1
2025 Projections
2025 Fantasy Outlook
Kjerstad is one of a few young Orioles position players that's been caught in between the last two seasons, as he's shown he has nothing left to prove in the minors but is still waiting to get some extended run of playing time at the big-league level. The 26-year-old has put up a .924 OPS with 26 homers over 132 contests at Triple-A Norfolk since the start of the 2023 campaign but has never started more than three games in a row for the Orioles. While Kjerstad has struck out at a 29.3 percent clip during his limited chances in the majors, he's also sported a 46.5 percent hard-hit rate and 9.3 percent barrel rate. With Anthony Santander's expected departure, Kjerstad could become a regular in right field at least against right-handed pitching. The swing and miss might keep his average down, but Kjerstad should crank plenty of homers if he gets an opportunity. Read Past Outlooks
Inside track on roster spot
Orioles GM Mike Elias noted Thursday that Kjerstad is a frontrunner for a spot on the Opening Day roster, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports. "He has earned the right to get at-bats in the corner outfield and at designated hitter, especially against right-handed pitchers," Elias said.
ANALYSIS
Even after letting Anthony Santander walk in free agency, the Orioles still have a deep stable of options in the outfield and at designated hitter, as Baltimore brought in Tyler O'Neill, Ramon Laureano and Dylan Carlson to join a group that already includes Ryan O'Hearn, Cedric Mullins and Colton Cowser. Cowser and Mullins will handle the bulk of the starts in center field, but Kjerstad looks like he'll have every opportunity to stake his claim to a strong-side platoon role in a corner spot or at DH. Elias said that the Orioles don't necessarily need Kjerstad to have a big spring to secure his roster spot, but a strong showing in the Grapefruit League could certainly help him stand out from the pack. Though his playing time at the big-league level wasn't consistent last season, Kjerstad acquitted himself well in the opportunities he received, slashing .253/.351/.394 with four home runs over 114 regular-season plate appearances.
Even after letting Anthony Santander walk in free agency, the Orioles still have a deep stable of options in the outfield and at designated hitter, as Baltimore brought in Tyler O'Neill, Ramon Laureano and Dylan Carlson to join a group that already includes Ryan O'Hearn, Cedric Mullins and Colton Cowser. Cowser and Mullins will handle the bulk of the starts in center field, but Kjerstad looks like he'll have every opportunity to stake his claim to a strong-side platoon role in a corner spot or at DH. Elias said that the Orioles don't necessarily need Kjerstad to have a big spring to secure his roster spot, but a strong showing in the Grapefruit League could certainly help him stand out from the pack. Though his playing time at the big-league level wasn't consistent last season, Kjerstad acquitted himself well in the opportunities he received, slashing .253/.351/.394 with four home runs over 114 regular-season plate appearances.
Batting Stats
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2024
2023
Minor League Game Log
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Batting Order Slot Breakdown
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Left/Right Batting Splits
Since 2022
+3%
OPS vs LHP
2024
+11%
OPS vs LHP
| OPS | PA | HR | RBI | AVG | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since 2022vs Left | .765 | 17 | 0 | 2 | .353 | ||||
| Since 2022vs Right | .744 | 129 | 6 | 15 | .232 | ||||
| 2024vs Left | .813 | 16 | 0 | 2 | .375 | ||||
| 2024vs Right | .732 | 98 | 4 | 12 | .229 | ||||
| 2023vs Left | .000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | ||||
| 2023vs Right | .773 | 31 | 2 | 3 | .241 | ||||
| 2022vs Left | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2022vs Right | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| More Splits→ | View More Split Stats | ||||||||
Home/Away Batting Splits
Since 2022
+40%
OPS at Home
2024
+43%
OPS at Home
| OPS | PA | HR | RBI | AVG | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since 2022Home | .855 | 82 | 3 | 10 | .296 | ||||
| Since 2022Away | .610 | 64 | 3 | 7 | .190 | ||||
| 2024Home | .846 | 69 | 2 | 8 | .305 | ||||
| 2024Away | .592 | 45 | 2 | 6 | .175 | ||||
| 2023Home | .891 | 13 | 1 | 2 | .250 | ||||
| 2023Away | .652 | 19 | 1 | 1 | .222 | ||||
| 2022Home | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2022Away | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| More Splits→ | View More Split Stats | ||||||||
Stat Review
How does Heston Kjerstad compare to other hitters?
This section compares his stats with all batting seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 400 plate appearances)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.
* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
BB/K
0.30BB Rate
8.8%K Rate
28.9%BABIP
.339ISO
.141AVG
.253OBP
.351SLG
.394OPS
.745wOBA
.330Exit Velocity
90.2 mphHard Hit Rate
28.4%Barrels/PA
3.5%Expected BA
.217Expected SLG
.352Sprint Speed
25.5 ft/secGround Ball %
45.5%Line Drive %
19.7%Fly Ball %
34.8%Prospect Rankings History
Advanced Batting Stats
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Additional Stats
Games By Position
Defensive Stats
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Batted Ball Stats
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Stats Vs Upcoming Pitchers
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
2021
Kjerstad made a strong first impression in the majors late last season, but unfortunately he's only eligible in the utility spot to start 2024 in most fantasy leagues. A money-saving pick at No. 2 overall in 2020, Kjerstad famously didn't make his pro debut until midway through the 2022 season due primarily to a heart inflammation condition. He won the Arizona Fall League home run derby after the 2022 season and then slashed .303/.376/.528 with 21 home runs in 122 games across Double-A and Triple-A before getting a brief cup of coffee. While he is limited defensively to designated hitter, first base and occasional corner-outfield work, Kjerstad's bat should be good enough to profile at the bottom of the defensive spectrum. He had a 113.5 mph max exit velocity at Triple-A and a 105.1 mph 90th percentile exit velocity and then logged a 19.0 Barrel% and a 52.4% Statcast hard-hit rate in 21 batted-ball events in the majors. He didn't show significant lefty/righty splits last year, but Baltimore has a talented enough roster that the lefty-hitting Kjerstad may still sit against some lefties when he's in the majors. However, Oriole Park at Camden Yards plays much better for lefties than righties, so he should be able to hit for plenty of power, even if he's getting platooned. The stacked 40-man roster clouds Kjerstad's playing time outlook at the outset of 2024.
More Fantasy News
Homers in Sunday's win
Kjerstad hit a solo home run in his lone at-bat during Sunday's 6-2 win over the Twins.
ANALYSIS
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Likely to lose work to Mountcastle
Kjerstad is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees.
ANALYSIS
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Three hits in Saturday's loss
Kjerstad went 3-for-4 with a hit-by-pitch and a run scored in Saturday's 6-4 extra-inning loss to the Tigers.
ANALYSIS
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Filling strong-side platoon role
Kjerstad will start in right field and bat seventh in Thursday's game against the Giants.
ANALYSIS
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Returns from IL
The Orioles reinstated Kjerstad (concussion) from the 10-day injured list Sunday.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Promotion coming?
The Orioles are expected to promote Kjerstad to the major leagues after Austin Hays was placed on the 10-day injured list with a calf injury, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Kjerstad has been tearing it up at Triple-A Norfolk, hitting .349 with 10 homers, 30 RBI, one stolen base and 25 runs over 86 at-bats. The club is hopeful that Hays will be able to return from the injured list following the 10-day minimum, so this could be a brief promotion for the 25-year-old if the team does ultimately decide to bring him up.
Kjerstad has been tearing it up at Triple-A Norfolk, hitting .349 with 10 homers, 30 RBI, one stolen base and 25 runs over 86 at-bats. The club is hopeful that Hays will be able to return from the injured list following the 10-day minimum, so this could be a brief promotion for the 25-year-old if the team does ultimately decide to bring him up.