O’s prospect draws on lessons from Griffey in return
SARASOTA, Fla. – Heston Kjerstad tried to encompass himself with the sport when he couldn’t play it. That was an extended interval than he or anybody would have preferred.
Taken by the Orioles second total within the 2020 Draft after a stellar if shortened interval at Arkansas, the hulking outfielder missed out on what would have been his first full season with myocarditis, an irritation of the guts wall that got here from COVID-19. He was set to return within the spring of 2021, solely to endure a left hamstring pressure that pushed again his professional debut till June 10.
“I watched a lot of baseball,” MLB’s No. 80 prospect stated of the downtime. “You can still learn stuff, whether it’s watching ABs and certain approaches. There are a lot of guys that pitch the same way to certain hitters. … There’s a lot to be learned just from watching.”
But when he wished to queue up highlights of a fellow left-handed slugger like himself, he dove into the archives.
“I like to dive back into old-school hitters,” he stated. “I really like watching Griffey.”
For many within the recreation, that is the primary regular Spring Training since 2019 as a result of pandemic, restrictions and final yr’s work stoppage. For Kjerstad, that is his first regular spring in professional ball, interval. So far so good.
Baltimore’s No. 6 prospect went 3-for-3 with two homers, together with one in his first at-bat, in his Grapefruit League debut on Feb. 25 and is 6-for-10 by way of his first seven video games as a non-roster invitee in Baltimore camp.
It could be the perfect indication but that Kjerstad is ready to point out what he can do when absolutely wholesome.
The former Razorbacks star exhibited plus energy potential in class from a left-handed swing that begins with a distinguished leg kick, options nice bat velocity and comes by way of an uphill path designed to generate extra-base hits by the bunches. The bout with myocarditis stored Kjerstad away from the diamond below physician’s orders to keep away from any bodily taxing exercise, and by the point he was given the inexperienced mild, he had missed greater than two years’ value of at-bats.
After a scorching begin at Single-A Delmarva, the misplaced time caught as much as him at High-A Aberdeen, the place he had a below-average 86 wRC+ and hit .233/.312/.362 with solely three homers in 43 video games. The Orioles stayed inspired that Kjerstad remained wholesome and despatched the slugger to the Arizona Fall League — another alternative to finish on a excessive be aware and extra importantly get much-needed enjoying time.
It was within the desert that Kjerstad was at his most efficient as a professional. He was named AFL MVP after main the prospect-laden circuit in hits (35), extra-base hits (15) and whole bases (61) whereas hitting .357/.385/.622 with 5 homers in 22 video games for Scottsdale. For good measure, he was the runner-up within the Fall League’s Home Run Derby in Mesa, ending with 31 dingers over three rounds.
“We could all have one good AB,” Kjerstad stated. “But I think what makes the difference is being consistent and building those ABs every day, week by week and then a month of solid ABs keep building up on each other.”
Kjerstad’s final recreation with Scottsdale was Nov. 9. The first day of full exercises for Orioles gamers in Sarasota was Feb. 21. It was a tighter turnaround than most Minor Leaguers, however for a participant who had seen sufficient days away from the diamond, the smaller offseason window might have helped preserve him the momentum. Case in level: that first homer swing in opposition to Twins veteran right-hander Brock Stewart, leading to a shot the opposite manner that Kjerstad simply plain muscled over the wall in left in Fort Myers.
The 24-year-old might lack any true upper-level expertise, however the level of being a non-roster invitee is to get your recreation in entrance of Major League coaches and evaluators. Kjerstad isn’t simply getting consideration by being round, he’s commanding it.
“Just how physical he is, how strong he is, how hard he hits the baseball, great personality,” stated Orioles supervisor Brandon Hyde. “It’s easygoing, ton of confidence. With what he’s been through to what he is right now, it’s really, really impressive.”
“I don’t think that he had quite gotten all the way back to that [Arkansas] player at any one point last season,” stated director of participant improvement Matt Blood. “I think he was still working his way through. I think the Fall League is where maybe he was starting to feel even more like himself. Then I think this spring, he’s finding some real confidence that ‘Yeah, I’m Heston Kjerstad, and I’m really good at baseball.’”
Baltimore put its proficient and youthful system to nice use throughout its resurgent 2022 season, and with the group trying to flip a nook towards potential full-blown competition this summer season, it isn’t outdoors the realm of risk that Kjerstad might use his upward momentum and observe Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson’s path to Baltimore by the autumn.
“Anybody that’s in that clubhouse has a chance at contributing to the big-league team this year,” he stated. “It could be my year. If it is, I’ll be ready when I get the opportunity.”
If and when that decision comes whether or not it’s in 2023 or (maybe extra doubtless) 2024, Kjerstad will convey a swing tailormade for Camden Yards’ proper subject porch, although Hyde would contend, “he can hit the ball out of any ballpark and anywhere in the ballpark.”
With that in thoughts, maybe he’d need to search for one particular video earlier than his dwelling debut: Ken Griffey Jr.’s mammoth blast off the warehouse within the 1993 Home Run Derby.
“Normally it isn’t the best approach in-game,” he stated, “but maybe one day I’ll get a hold of one, send it onto Eutaw Street and get a plaque up there.”
What a spotlight that will make.
