{"id":34074,"date":"2025-02-14T07:59:55","date_gmt":"2025-02-14T07:59:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=34074"},"modified":"2025-02-14T07:59:55","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T07:59:55","slug":"breaking-kjerstad-positioned-for-expanded-role-in-orioles-of-as-camp-kicks-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=34074","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: Kjerstad positioned for expanded role in Orioles’ OF as camp kicks off"},"content":{"rendered":"
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SARASOTA, Fla. — After two years of sporadic big league playing time and extra seasoning in the Minors,\u00a0Heston Kjerstad\u00a0has waited his turn to get an expanded role with the Orioles.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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That time appears to have arrived.<\/p>\n

\"Heston<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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On the first day of Spring Training workouts at Ed Smith Stadium on Thursday, Baltimore general manager Mike Elias stated that Kjerstad is a front-runner for a 26-man roster spot this spring.<\/p>\n

The 26-year-old former top prospect has never broken camp with the O\u2019s, but he could be heading north with the MLB club in six weeks\u2019 time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThis is a big opportunity for him,\u201d Elias said. \u201cI think he\u2019s kind of earned the right to get a lot of at-bats in the corner outfield and in the DH spot, specifically against right-handed pitching. But long term, this guy when we took him, he was one of the best hitters in college baseball, and he can hit left-handed pitching.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Selected out of the University of Arkansas with the\u00a0No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Kjerstad\u2019s professional career was delayed due to myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).<\/p>\n

He has since torn up the Minor Leagues, especially while at Triple-A Norfolk, where he owns a .299\/.382\/.541 slash line with 26 home runs in 132 games over the past two seasons.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Kjerstad got an initial 13-game taste of the Majors in 2023, when he also was included on the Orioles\u2019 roster for the American League Division Series vs. the Rangers, though he did not play.<\/p>\n

Last year, he hit .253 with four homers and a .745 OPS over 39 games for Baltimore, missing much of the second half due to a concussion that led to two stints on the injured list.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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It was quite telling that Elias doesn\u2019t even think Kjerstad needs to put up big Spring Training stats to push his way onto the big league team.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI don\u2019t know that he needs to tear the cover off the ball in the Grapefruit League,\u201d Elias said. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen him do that already. He\u2019s played pretty well in a limited opportunity at the Major League level. He\u2019s played really well in the Minors.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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With the switch-hitting Anthony Santander now in Toronto, Kjerstad could help replace some of the lost left-handed power.<\/p>\n

Kjerstad, Cedric Mullins and Colton Cowser are the lefty hitters in an outfield mix that also includes righties Tyler O\u2019Neill and Ram\u00f3n Laureano and switch-hitting Dylan Carlson.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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