The phrase “nothing ever goes my way” typically comes from excuse-makers, but if there was anyone who might have a legitimate reason to believe that, it would be Baltimore Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad.
Drafted at 21 years old, Kjerstad’s minor league debut would have to wait, as the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the MiLB season. When the league finally resumed in 2021, the 2020 draft class was finally able to return to the diamond.
However, Kjerstad’s world was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with myocarditis, otherwise known as inflammation of the heart muscle. With the reality that life was much more important than baseball, Kjerstad had to sit out the entirety of the 2021 season, working his way back to health.
Kjerstad was cleared to resume baseball activities in the offseason, allowing him to ramp up for the 2022 season. Unfortunately, as he was chasing a fly ball in March, Kjerstad tore his hamstring, sidelining him another few months.
He was finally able to truly begin his professional career in June of 2022 at 23 years old, two years after he was drafted.
Kjerstad made it through the rest of his minor league career, mostly issue free. He would debut with the O’s in 2023, playing in 13 games, and if you thought Kjerstad was finally out of the woods, you would be mistaken.
In limited playing time, Kjerstad had an OPS over .900 in 2024, looking like he was well on his way to becoming an everyday player for the Orioles. That was until July, when an errant Clay Holmes sinker caught Kjerstad in the head, forcing him to leave the game.
He would eventually be diagnosed with a concussion, missing eight days and even upon returning, never seemed close to the same player.
With all that out of the way, that brings us to 2025. The first season in Kjerstad’s young career that he would begin the campaign on the Orioles’ Opening Day roster. At best, he would still be the fourth outfielder, with Colton Cowser, Cedric Mullins and Tyler O’Neill in his way.
The reason for this article, though, is that Heston Kjerstad may have finally caught the first good break of his career. With the news that Cowser will be out a minimum of six weeks with a fractured thumb, that opens up tons of opportunities for the young outfielder.
The O’s won’t be taking much of a step back, if any at all, in my opinion. Kjerstad can play, and the stats below prove it:
Kjerstad vs. RHP: .240/.329/.408/.737, 109 wRC+, 34.9 Hard Hit %
Cowser vs. RHP: .229/.323/.427/.751, 115 wRC+, 36.6 Hard Hit %
Kjerstad vs. LHP: .333/.364/.381/.745, 119 wRC+, 13.3 Hard Hit %
Cowser vs. LHP: .217/.285/.364/.648. 87 wRC+, 32.2 Hard Hit %
Kjerstad Overall: .253/.333/.404/.737, 110 wRC+, 31.6 Hard Hit %
Cowser Overall: .226/.314/.411/.725, 108 wRC+, 35.5 Hard Hit %
Don’t put too much stock into these numbers, as the difference in plate appearances is large. It isn’t necessarily the most accurate collection of data, but I do think it shows offensively that Kjerstad is very similar to Cowser.
In all five games Kjerstad has started in Cowser’s absence, he’s picked up at least one hit and has been a catalyst of the O’s offense.
Many people will point to the defense, and it is true that Kjerstad is nowhere near the defender Cowser is. The Royals series opener proved that plenty. However, Kauffman stadium is statistically one of the most difficult outfields to play, plus the field was wet and the sky gray.
It’s a difficult assessment with how little we’ve seen of Kjerstad, but the kid has shown a lot of promise in a limited sample size. I think he’ll take full advantage of his opportunity and emerge himself as yet another budding young Baltimore star.
What are your thoughts on Kjerstad and the opportunity he’s getting to play? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
Represent The Baltimore Battery and show off your fandom with our official merchandise! Reasonably-priced attire made just for you! Visit our official shop site by clicking here!
Like RJ’s content? Follow him on X – @blaw690
THE BALTIMORE BATTERY 
Leave a comment