The Baltimore Orioles are dipping into their loaded farm system again.
According to the Baltimore Sun’s Jacob Calvin Meyer, the team is planning on recalling their No. 4 and MLB Pipeline’s No. 29 prospect, Heston Kjerstad, from triple-A Norfolk.
The second-overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Kjerstad made his MLB debut in 2023, appearing in 13 games with the Orioles, but started the season in triple-A.
With the Norfolk Tides, the 25-year-old has been one of the top minor-league hitters to begin the year, slashing .349/.431/.744 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI in 21 games.
In his MLB debut in 2023, he posted a .748 OPS and hit two home runs in 30 at-bats, but struck out in over 30 per cent of his trips to the plate. With Norfolk so far in 2024, his strikeout rate is just 21.6 per cent.
Kjerstad will join an Orioles team stocked with former top prospects and high draft picks. Baltimore currently has former or current No. 1 prospects Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday on its major-league roster. Colton Cowser, Grayson Rodriguez and Jordan Westburg have also been top 100 prospects in recent years.
Outfielder Austin Hays was placed on the 10-day injured list earlier Monday, likely opening a spot for Kjerstad.
After the Orioles’ win over the L.A. Angels, the Orioles moved into first in the AL East with a 15-7 record.
