Heston Kjerstad made a strong first impression in the majors late last season, but unfortunately he's only eligible in the utility spot to start 2024 in most fantasy leagues. A money-saving pick at No. 2 overall in 2020, Kjerstad famously didn't make his pro debut until midway through the 2022 season due primarily to a heart inflammation condition. He won the Arizona Fall League home run derby after the 2022 season and then slashed .303/.376/.528 with 21 home runs in 122 games across Double-A and Triple-A before getting a brief cup of coffee. While he is limited defensively to designated hitter, first base and occasional corner-outfield work, Kjerstad's bat should be good enough to profile at the bottom of the defensive spectrum. He had a 113.5 mph max exit velocity at Triple-A and a 105.1 mph 90th percentile exit velocity and then logged a 19.0 Barrel% and a 52.4% Statcast hard-hit rate in 21 batted-ball events in the majors. He didn't show significant lefty/righty splits last year, but Baltimore has a talented enough roster that the lefty-hitting Kjerstad may still sit against some lefties when he's in the majors. However, Oriole Park at Camden Yards plays much better for lefties than righties, so he should be able to hit for plenty of power, even if he's getting platooned. The stacked 40-man roster clouds Kjerstad's playing time outlook at the outset of 2024.
