When Is Heston Kjerstad Getting Called Up? Fantasy Baseball Prospect Outlook

The Baltimore Orioles have been one of the best teams in baseball through the first third of the season.

However, what separates them from some of the other teams in the American League is the amount of talent that the Orioles have not only on the major league roster but in their minor league farm system, too.

Jackson Holliday isn't the only first-round pick at Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles' first-round pick from the 2020 draft, Heston Kjerstad is also making major waves for the Norfolk Tides and looks ready for his next chance to get promoted back up to Baltimore.

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Heston Kjerstad Prospect Update for Fantasy Baseball

Kjerstad made a brief appearance with Baltimore earlier this season but only appeared in seven games and got 14 at-bats. He managed just two hits and two walks in those games and with Baltimore's outfield being incredibly crowded, the Orioles decided to send him back down to Norfolk to get consistent playing time.

Heston Kjerstad is putting up consistent metrics & counting stats playing everyday at Norfolk. The Orioles MLB OF is showing some signs of decline. Stowers and Cowser are getting the first shots to fix things. When will the opportunity come for Kjerstad? pic.twitter.com/zNEg6Tnsqi

— Florida Prospect Report (@FLProspectPod) June 9, 2024

His stats at Triple-A, both before and after his brief call-up have been tremendous. He's swatted 14 home runs and has 50 RBI in 45 games with the Tides. His slash line is a superb .310/.401/.632 as well. It's clear that he is ready for the next level, but is there a sense of urgency to bring him up any time soon?

Heston Kjerstad Outlook for Fantasy Baseball

Kjerstad's minor league numbers are impressive, but he has yet to perform at the big league level last year or earlier this year. That doesn't mean that he won't be hugely successful when he finally gets his chance, but it does mean that Baltimore may not feel forced to bring him up and get him playing time.

There is a lot of redundancy on the Orioles roster as both Colton Cowser and Kyle Stowers are also left-handed hitting outfield prospects and the left-handed veteran Cedric Mullins currently occupies center field. The Orioles could be interested in trading one or more of these players around the deadline in order to upgrade their pitching staff, and if that happens, then Kjerstad could finally have a path to regular playing time (either in Baltimore or if he was the player traded - for another team).

Kjerstad is rostered in 7% of leagues on Yahoo, meaning he's widely available and not someone that you have to stash now as his call-up and playing time are not imminent. If we get word that the Orioles are ready to shake up their roster, then grab Kjerstad in deeper formats and hope that he finds a path toward playing on an everyday basis.

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