Heston Kjerstad DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias sees outfielder Heston Kjerstad as a front-runner for an Opening Day roster spot this year. "He's has earned the right to get at-bats in the corner outfield and at designated hitter, especially against right-handed pitchers," Elias said. Anthony Santander left in free agency, but the O's added outfielders Tyler O'Neill, Dylan Carlson and Ramon Laureano and also have Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser, and Ryan O'Hearn. Still, the 26-year-old Kjerstad should see plenty of playing time against right-handed pitchers, either in a corner outfield spot or at designated hitter. He has nothing left to prove in the minors. In the big leagues, he's struck out nearly 30% of the time but also has a 46.5% hard-hit rate. With more playing time, Kjerstad is certainly worth a bench spot for outfield depth in deep-mixed fantasy leagues.

Baltimore Orioles outfield prospect Heston Kjerstad (concussion) begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Saturday with High-A Aberdeen and has gone 2-for-5 with a walk and a run scored in his first two games. On Sunday, Kjerstad went 2-for-2 with a run and a walk before being replaced in right field. The 25-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder served as the designated hitter in his first rehab appearance on Saturday. Kjerstad has been away from the Orioles since suffering a concussion in late July. It's a good sign that he's now playing in games again, but it's unknown how long he'll be on a rehab assignment before being an option to rejoin Baltimore's big-league roster as outfield depth to close out the 2024 regular season. There's a very realistic chance that Kjerstad is sent to Triple-A Norfolk, instead of the majors, once he's finished with his rehab assignment.

After initially being optioned to Triple-A Norfolk late last week, the Baltimore Orioles placed rookie outfielder Heston Kjerstad (concussion) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 1) on Wednesday due to a concussion. It's the second time this year that Kjerstad has been on the IL due to a concussion, which is pretty concerning. After coming off his first stint on the IL on July 20, the 25-year-old had just two hits in 18 at-bats with seven strikeouts, and it appears he still hasn't fully recovered from his head injury. Head injuries are pretty serious, so there will be no timetable for his return to action at Norfolk, let alone in the big leagues again with the Orioles in 2024. Kjerstad has hit .261 (18-for-69) with three homers and 12 RBI in just 28 games for the O's this year, and given Baltimore's crowded outfield picture, there's no clear path to playing time the rest of the way if he gets past his concussion symptoms.