Kjerstad. Why not?

[Frobby]

10 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

It would not have been a jump to start him at AA this year. It was fairly obvious that is where he was going to start.

I’d say it was an open question before he showed well in the AFL.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Orioles Jim said:

Reminds me a little of when Markakis hit the cover off the ball in Spring Training 2006 and forced his way onto the roster unexpectedly (I remember this place, myself included, being surprised that that inept regime would keep him up).

The situation of course isn’t completely analogous (Markakis had had 143 PA’s in AA Bowie in 2005) and lest we forget, Markakis cooled off considerably once the actual season started, but food for thought.

That team was desperate for talent.  This team can afford to be patient with Kjerstad.  

[webbrick2010]

Lots of guys have great springs. It's not ML competition or pressure.

Let's see how he does in AA

 

[Sports Guy]

5 minutes ago, webbrick2010 said:

Lots of guys have great springs. It's not ML competition or pressure.

Let's see how he does in AA

 

And if he was having a bad spring, I’m sure you would just poo poo that and make it out to be nothing.

[Frobby]

9 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

And if he was having a bad spring, I’m sure you would just poo poo that and make it out to be nothing.

Obviously, we’d much rather see Kjerstad raking than struggling.  It’s a very good sign.  He’s still not going to skip a minor league level because he had a good spring.  It could accelerate how quickly they move him if he’s doing well in AA, though.  

[Moose Milligan]

SPRING TRAINING STATS!!!!!!!!11

[eddie83]

2 hours ago, CaptainRedbeard said:

His stock is up tremendously right now. But remember he struggled some at high A last year - before the AFL and Spring Training, it would have been a bit of a jump to even start him at AA this year. Sometime between the end of last year and the AFL, things really started to come together for him.  Not only is the power fully back, but his biggest question as a prospect was how his hit tool would translate and that is looking quite good against the spring training competition. He’ll start at AA but with the expectation he’ll abuse some poor pitchers, perhaps for only a month or so before finding himself at AAA. 

I agree with what Frobby said about his speed - he definitely does not look like a plodder out there. He’s very powerfully built in his lower half now and not carrying any extra weight. Scouting reports are that his arm and instincts in the OF are pretty good, so he should be at least passable out there, and potentially an asset. 

Yeah. His power being back is awesome. 
The raw tools look to be there. Now a mattter of seeing him compete vs better competition. 

[Jagwar]

Where would he even fit on the current roster as constructed? RF/DH? I'm not sure that he is a candidate for promotion unless an injury or trade happens. 

[jamalshw]

I love how he parlayed a great AFL into a great spring. I think it's wonderful and I wouldn't mind him starting the year in AAA rather than AA, but he needs at least half a season in the minors. If he's still raking in July, maybe it's real and maybe we could see him at the end of the year. More likely, he does enough to push himself up prospect lists and becomes the next guy we are all hyped to see early in 2024. 

[Orioles Jim]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

That team was desperate for talent.  This team can afford to be patient with Kjerstad.  

And yet, I remember most of us being pleasantly surprised that the Orioles didn’t send him down for the sake of it.

One of few bright spots back in those days.

[Yossarian]

3 hours ago, webbrick2010 said:

Lots of guys have great springs. It's not ML competition or pressure.

Let's see how he does in AA

 

How does Spring Training pitching compare to AA?

[Frobby]

Just now, Orioles Jim said:

And yet, I remember most of us being pleasantly surprised that the Orioles didn’t send him down for the sake of it.

One of few bright spots back in those days.

I used to call Markakis “the boy who lived.”  Basically the only O’s prospect in the 2000 - 2006 window who amounted to much, and never had a serious hiccup along the way.  (Zach Britton was drafted in 2006 but had some pretty serious hiccups before becoming a reliever in 2014.)

[RZNJ]

11 minutes ago, Yossarian said:

How does Spring Training pitching compare to AA?

Most of the pitchers Kjerstad has faced pitched in AA or AAA last year.   It’s a good omen for how he’ll do at Bowie.

[MDtransplant757]

Kjerstad's numbers are highly encouraging, but I think seeing how he'll do in AA is going to be a way better catalyst for what is to come at that point. Maybe in June he'll get a call to Norfolk unless he's really knocking the snot out of the ball, then get that call to AAA sooner. Overall though a lot of the young guys have had great springs. 

[Pickles]

36 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I used to call Markakis “the boy who lived.”  Basically the only O’s prospect in the 2000 - 2006 window who amounted to much, and never had a serious hiccup along the way.  (Zach Britton was drafted in 2006 but had some pretty serious hiccups before becoming a reliever in 2014.)

Bedard and Brian Roberts while both drafted in 1999 were in the O's system in the years you mentioned.  Your larger point is of course correct, but perhaps not quite that dire.