Heston

Kjerstad

Kjerstad was not necessarily in the plans to start the season on the Opening Day roster, but the former top prospect has gone 6-for-14 so far this spring with one home run, two RBI, and just one strikeout in five games. Last year was a tough year for the 27-year-old, but after watching Kyle Stowers emerge in Miami, the Orioles may not be ready to give up on another former top prospect outfielder. The issue for Kjerstad is that Tyler O’Neill and Leody Taveras have no minor league options, so it may be a battle between Kjerstad and Dylan Beavers for the final spot on the Orioles’ roster.

Kjerstad opened the scoring in the contest, belting a full-count slider from Jack Flaherty for a 399-foot (100.5 mph EV) solo shot that got the Orioles on the board in the top half of the first inning. The 27-year-old outfielder also grounded out twice, finishing the afternoon 1-for-3. With a strong showing in Grapefruit League play, Kjerstad has a chance to earn regular playing time in the Orioles’ lineup to start the 2026 campaign, which would make him an intriguing late-round option for fantasy purposes.

Baltimore’s newly-minted skipper added that he’s eager to work with the former top prospect this spring to get him back on track. Kjerstad missed the final two months of last season at Triple-A Norfolk with an undisclosed medical issue. The positive news is that he’s made a full recovery and will be a full-go at the outset of spring training. The 26-year-old former second-overall pick has faded from fantasy relevance in recent years but a clean bill of health and a different manager could help revive his career. His most likely path to regular at-bats involves prying playing time away from top prospects Dylan Beavers and Samuel Basallo in a hybrid role between right field and DH. He’s a name to watch in spring training, especially in deeper mixed leagues.

Kjerstad refused to expound upon what type of condition Kjerstad is dealing with, but said that “Kjerstad will be in Spring Training.” It’s hard to know for sure how long the 26-year-old outfielder was battling whatever condition he’s battling, but it would be safe to say that it was at least partially responsible for a poor season that saw him hit .192/.240/.327 with four home runs in 167 MLB plate appearances.

To this point, the Orioles have not divulged more about what Kjerstad is dealing with. Interim manager Tony Mansolino said, “I’m not ready to share yet, but I will talk about it over and we will figure out what we want to share with you guys, but nothing yet.” We’re hoping for the best for Kjerstad.

The 30-year-old is a free agent at the end of the season, so it makes sense for an Orioles team that is falling out of the playoff race to see what they can get for him at the deadline. That would open up playing time for Heston Kjerstad, Ramon Laureano, and Dylan Carlson this season, but also Jud Fabian or Dylan Beavers in 2026. Mullins is hitting just .220/.306/.430 in 62 games but has 12 home runs and eight steals, which could provide some fantasy juice if he lands in a good spot. Passan lists the Mets, Guardians, and Phillies as the best fits for the center fielder.

The 26-year-old outfielder will go for additional testing to see if there’s any sort of structural damage there. Look for the O’s to provide an update on his status as soon as more information is available.

This probably would have been done a month ago if the Orioles hadn’t been dealing with so many outfield injuries. Kjerstad was hitting just .192/.240/.327 with four homers in 167 plate appearances. Statcast thinks he was pretty unlucky on balls in play, but even so, his lack of plate discipline and subpar defense have sent his stock plummeting. It’s still quite possible he’ll end up as a decent platoon guy, but it seemed like a considerably better bet back in March.

Kjerstad gets the night off with Dylan Carlson starting in left field and hitting eighth against the Athletics and Luis Severino.

With the Orioles trailing 2-1 and two runners on, Kjerstad lined a three-bagger into the right-field corner to give Baltimore the 3-2 cushion and ultimately the victory. Even with the triple he’s still slashing an ugly .197/.243/.336, and while Kjerstad’s future looks bright, the present isn’t good enough for fantasy consideration in the majority of formats.