Update: A serious injury and a deep Orioles roster restricted Heston Kjerstad’s chances..

With the Orioles’ season ending prematurely once again, we’re starting our offseason content with a review of O’s prospects. First up is Heston Kjerstad. Although technically no longer a prospect due to his MLB service time, the 25-year-old spent more time in the minors than in the majors this season, logging less than a quarter of a season’s worth of MLB action.

This season was meant to be a chance for the Orioles to evaluate Kjerstad as a potential replacement for Anthony Santander if he leaves in free agency, but that assessment was cut short.

Unfortunately, the New York Yankees played a big role in that setback.

On July 12, as Kjerstad was starting for the ninth time in 12 games, he was hit in the head by a pitch from Yankees reliever Clay Holmes, causing a stir among the Camden Yards crowd. After a lengthy delay with trainers, he left the field and entered concussion protocol.

The following day, the Orioles placed Kjerstad on the 7-day concussion injured list. Although he was activated a week later, it quickly became clear that his symptoms persisted. He struggled at the plate, going 2-for-18 in seven games, and had defensive errors before being optioned back to the minors on August 1 and placed on the concussion IL again.

Kjerstad didn’t return to the field for over a month while recovering. He began a rehab assignment on September 7 and rejoined the Orioles mid-month but was limited to part-time play, starting seven games and posting a .636 OPS. Overall, he played 39 major league games, hitting .253/.351/.394 with four home runs, and went hitless in two pinch-hit appearances during the Wild Card Series.

In total, combining his 13-game call-up in 2023, Kjerstad has now played 52 regular season games, achieving an above-average 116 OPS+. While this suggests his bat could translate to the major leagues, the sample size is too small—thanks to the Yankees—for a definitive assessment of his potential as an everyday player or a platoon option.

What’s clear is that Kjerstad has outgrown the minor leagues, demonstrating his talent early in the season with the Norfolk Tides. After not making the Orioles’ Opening Day roster, he thrived in Triple-A, hitting .500 with six home runs and 25 RBIs in his first eight games.

Despite a crowded outfield featuring breakout rookie Colton Cowser and veterans like Santander and Cedric Mullins, Kjerstad received his opportunity only after Austin Hays went on the injured list in late April. However, he started just four games in over two weeks before being sent back to Norfolk.

In his second stint with the Tides, Kjerstad continued to dominate, posting an .878 OPS in 35 games. As fans clamored for more opportunities, the Orioles finally gave in at the end of June, allowing Kjerstad to hit .378/.465/.676 over 14 games, including a grand slam against the Rangers, until Holmes’s beanball cut his season short.

Now, the Orioles face an incomplete picture regarding Kjerstad’s future.

It seems likely he’ll have a spot on the roster next season, but his role remains uncertain.

Will the O’s see him as a platoon player? They limited his exposure to lefties this year, giving him only 16 plate appearances against them, in which he had six hits. His combined OPS against both majors and minors is a respectable .764 in 90 plate appearances.

Will he be seen primarily as a designated hitter? His outfield play was also limited; he made 16 starts in the field and 10 as a DH. Though he graded out fine in right field, he was below average in left, making advanced defensive metrics less reliable due to the small sample size.

If Santander departs this winter, Kjerstad would be a prime candidate to take his place. Additionally, if the Orioles were to trade or decline their option on O’Hearn, Kjerstad could slot in at DH. He’s poised for the most playing time he’s had with the team, and his minor league success suggests he could emerge as the next homegrown hitting star for the Orioles, following Cowser, Gunnar Henderson, and Adley Rutschman.

Don’t be surprised if 2025 becomes Heston Kjerstad’s breakout year—as long as the Yankees stay out of the way.