The Orioles announced a number of roster moves today. Outfielder Cedric Mullins and infielder Jordan Westburg have both been reinstated from the 10-day injured list. In corresponding moves, the club has optioned outfielder Heston Kjerstad and designated infielder Emmanuel Rivera for assignment. The O’s also announced that outfielder Jordyn Adams, who was designated for assignment last week, has been sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk. The 40-man roster count drops to 38.
Kjerstad, 26, was the No. 2 overall pick back in 2020, though that selection represented a bit of draft-day creativity; he was generally viewed as a mid-first-round talent but signed with the O’s on an underslot deal at No. 2 overall, leaving Baltimore some extra money to pursue over-slot bonuses with others further down the line — the aforementioned Westburg and top prospect Coby Mayo among them.
The Orioles have given Kjerstad looks in each of the past three seasons now, but the 2025 campaign is the first where he’s been given a real run at anything close to regular playing time. It didn’t go well. Despite being largely shielded from left-handed pitching, the lefty-swinging Kjerstad hit just .192/.240/.327 with four homers, a 3.6% walk rate and a 26.9% strikeout rate in 167 turns at the plate. He’s improved his overall contact rate relative to 2023-24, but he’s chasing off the plate at borderline egregious levels (38.4% chase rate) and still swinging through pitches too often.
Kjerstad finds himself at something of a crossroads with the Orioles. He’ll still have one more minor league option remaining beyond the current season, but he’s now struggled to establish himself in three separate seasons. Colton Cowser is locked into one outfield spot long-term. Tyler O’Neill has an opt-out clause in his three-year contract that he does not presently appear likely to take (although a big finish to the season can always change that). Mullins is a free agent at season’s end, as is Ryan O’Hearn, which could open some outfield/designated hitter playing time. However, the O’s have prospects like Enrique Bradfield Jr., Jud Fabian, Vance Honeycutt and Dylan Beavers rising through the system — any of whom could also factor into those competitions for playing time.
It’s arguable that Kjerstad hasn’t really gotten a fair audition. He’s totaled 314 MLB plate appearances across three seasons and always been either platooned or had the specter of someone returning from the IL to take his spot and push him back to Triple-A Norfolk.
Other clubs might have given him a more traditional everyday opportunity, but the Orioles tend to prioritize matchups more than most and have frequently brought in veteran outfielders who’ve cut into Kjerstad’s potential playing time (e.g. O’Neill, Ramon Laureano, Dylan Carlson, Eloy Jimenez, Austin Slater). They make no secret about their endeavors to stockpile as much depth as possible, which positions them well for injuries but also results in scattershot opportunities for young players like Kjerstad, Mayo and since-traded prospects like Kyle Stowers, Connor Norby and Joey Ortiz.
For now, Kjerstad will head to Norfolk and look to get his swing back on track. However, he has little left to prove against Triple-A pitching. Kjerstad has played 132 games there, taken 591 plate appearances, and mashed at a .299/.382/.541 clip.
As for Rivera, he originally came to the O’s as one of those previously mentioned depth grabs. Baltimore claimed him off waivers last August, enjoyed a productive run of 27 games down the stretch, and tendered him a $1MM contract over the winter. Rivera never seemed likely to replicate the .364 average on balls in play or 22.2% homer-to-fly-ball ratio he logged with the O’s in 2024, however, and his offense has plummeted back down to his career norms in 2025. He’s taken 76 plate appearances and batted .232/.303/.275 — not far off his lifetime .243/.306/.363 slash in the majors.
The 28-year-old Rivera’s hard-contact numbers completely eroded this season. He’s a surehanded defender at the hot corner and has also played some first base in the majors. However, he’s out of minor league options, so the O’s couldn’t simply send him down. He’ll first need to clear waivers. Given his lack of track record and options, he could well pass through unclaimed, though he’s affordable enough that a team seeking short-term help at the hot corner could look to him as a stopgap between now and the trade deadline.
MLB rules stipulate that a player can be in DFA limbo for a maximum of one week, and waivers are a 48-hour process, so Rivera will be traded or placed on waivers within the next five days. If he clears, he’ll presumably accept a minor league assignment, as he did when the O’s passed him through waivers earlier this spring. Rejecting in favor of free agency would mean forfeiting the remainder of his $1MM guarantee, as Rivera does not have the five years of service needed to reject an outright assignment and retain his guaranteed salary.
Yeah Kjerstad definitely needs a change of scenery to get a shot at consistent playing time. He didn’t do much with the little opportunities he got but he’s still young enough to make something of his career. It just probably won’t be with the O’s.
The season is still young and it’s unlikely we right the ship. So there’s plenty of time for him to go spend a month or so in AAA, get back on track, and get everyday at bats at the mlb level and see what he is
Lol I feel like we’re always saying that about him and Mayo. The only way I see him getting those everyday at bats is if Mullins gets dealt.
Mullins and Laureano will be off the team in July. I don’t think this team is all that bad but the hole we dug ourselves is too large to climb out of. O’Hearn will likely be somewhere else as well.
You’ll probably see a lot of Beavers & Kjerstad in August onward.
I agree, the team isn’t as bad as it looked for the first couple of months but it would take a miracle to compete for a playoff spot this year. I’m hoping Elias does something at the trade deadline but after this past offseason I’ve kind of lost faith in him adding to the major league roster, despite his ability to improve a farm system. Not that adding to your big league team is the way to go in a lost season but you see what I mean, just some not good decision making in my opinion.
First Mayo has had virtually no at bats to make any judgement and in any case went through his first period of real struggle in pro ball. He has been swinging much better his last two weeks in AAA and since returning. Seems to me there’s an opportunity to tweak his approach and swing, but I think they are going to let him feel his way for a bit. With very few exceptions this is how it goes for the first 500 at bats.
Heston is a different story. He looked really solid when he first came up – enough to
make the playoff roster, despite having been through a serious illness and some injuries.
He also looked good last year until the beaning by the Yankees. I the the Os might have to consider that he’s permanently set back by that head injury either physically or mentally. He would not be the first guy to be derailed but a serious head injury (last one I recall was Ellis Valentine)
Add to this that he’s been downright terrible in the field so the only answer is throw him out there every day and see what happens.
Each of these guys had OPS years in the minors over 900 so it’s worth giving them time.
Great to have Wedtburg back
Agree Kjerstad needs to get his feet back under him at AAA after showing little progress hitting but nothing has changed about his situation. He is still at most a 4th OF/part time DH even if O’Hearn and Mountcastle leave, as the future likely Rutschman/Basallo combo will chew up AB’s, O’Neill will still take OF/DH. Maybe another team with the opening sees potential and is willing to still make that move at the deadline for Kjerstad.
Its not long before his clock runs out for the Orioles. Bradfield will at least get a look in 2026 and how long can they keep Beavers in AAA hitting .326? Cowser and O’Neill are fixtures. Carlson is hitting better. They’d have to trade both Mullins and O’Hearn to really open a lot of PT. If not Kjerstad, then Beavers or Bradfield will be traded.
I get the DFA for Rivera as he’s stopped hitting and he’s redundant of Mayo. Now they have 2-3 players who can play each IF position but it would be better to affix the spots..
I don’t understand why Mateo still has a roster spot. He can steal bases with the new easy rules, big deal. He’s a liability in the field – he’s even shaky at SS now. He can’t hit. There’s not one game this year nor is there likely to be one that the Orioles will win because they have Mateo and no other player would have gotten that win for them. He’s lost a couple – strikeouts with the bases loaded, errors, inability to start or sustain rallies. Are they really still determined on giving a roster spot to what is basically a $3.4M pinch runner?
If they need another UIF, Luis Vazquez has been hitting well all year in AAA, he plays SS, 2B, 3B.
Why call up Vasquez? Mateo could be on another team to swipe bases in August for their stretch run. I don’t see the point in pulling him on the 40 now.
The salary is guaranteed at this point so the money is irrelevant unless someone else is willing to take it right now. I think a guy with Mateo’s skill set becomes more valuable for teams who want that Terrance Gore type later in the year. I do believe Mateo is a better player than Vazquez anyway.
jbigz12 – Outside of this callup because Mateo’s on the shelf…can we define Mateo’s skill set other than to steal bases at this point?
Its great that he can run IF he could get on – but more frequently when someone else gets on because he can’t – that he can usually steal 2nd and sometimes 3rd. I think maybe once this has resulted in an extra run where the SB was a factor. No one has said “we won this game only because Mateo is who he is.”
His fielding is below average now – even at SS – far higher error rate than Gunnar at this point given innings played, less range too. Fielding is worse at other positions (2B, 3B…and he should not be in CF at all except in a dire emergency). He’s not the fielder he was in 2022 for sure, or even 2023 – but for some reason people keep going back to what he used to do.
He can’t hit – .180? .231 OBP even worse than what he usually does with next to no power. More than a few rallies killed because of this reason. He couldn’t really ever hit even in peak usage (2022).which was the first of 3 years with a .267 OBP. Even worse, with all the K’s and popups the outs are even less productive. Not even a sac bunt this year.
If he can’t hit and now struggles fielding, what value is he adding?
Did someone in the O’s front office read the last paragraph of your post?
drungo – no, LOL, I don’t want the guy (Mateo) to be hurt which is why they’ve called up Vazquez, but just for Vazquez to have a shot.
lol well Mateo did make a few of those errors in CF and other positions I do believe.
But I don’t see the point in DFA’ing. Vazquez will likely suck and suck bad. Might as well just keep him up until it’s a dump at the deadline. I’m not hopeful Vazquez is anything. We’ll see though
jbigz12
Good point. So far this season, 2 errors at 2B, 1 in CF. That leaves 3 at SS – but in only 68 innings. Limited sample yes, but compare to 2022 and even 2023, range is down, error rate is up. There have been several other times when he’s made iffy plays and throws.
By comparison, Gunnar has 7 errors in 456 innings at SS, now leading the AL (like he did last year, with 25 in 1384 innings, so his rate is actually down a bit). Gunnar’s range #’s are generally well above average and even that out.
At this rate Mateo would get 30+ errors playing as many innings at SS in a season as Gunnar. Neither are gold glovers.
I don’t like the argument that “he doesn’t get enough reps” at SS. These are pro athletes they can take reps for hours a day. For CF where he is an emergency replacement, I get that, and its dangerous not only for misplaying balls but getting hurt (the collision that likely is causing this DL stint for instance). I can also understand a loss of range and a decrease in his agility now that he’s 30 versus being 26 or 27.
But I will take Gunnar hitting .260 with 25 or 30 HR – down from last year – versus Mateo hitting .180 and killing every rally he sees anyday.
Orioles are getting to be worse than the Yankees have been at: hoarding prospects, retarding their development at the major league level, not giving certain young players enough time to get established at the major league level, tanking their trade value, but still refusing to trade them somewhere where they can start and get 350-500 ABs a year and just leave them alone to get acclimated to the major league.
The Rule 5 Draft was created for teams like the Orioles and Yankees who are burning prospects who could be playing productively on a major league team somewhere in MLB.
Kjerstad is just the latest example.
Trade him for some lower level prospects who
are not blocked @ the MLB level and let the player go to a team that will just put him in a position, get him a lot of ABs and not jerk the kid around
with a few ABs a week, not let him hit both left handers and right handers, keep him riding the shuttle between AAA and the Orioles.
Padres (LF)? White Sox? Marlins? Pirates? Reds? Rockies?
So…what prospects have the Yanks ruined the past 5-6 years? Better yet, what prospects have they traded ty he last 5-6 years who would be difference makers right now on the club. Not suggesting there is no one to mention just that the lists are pretty small.
Kjerstad’s value is low right now, it doesn’t make sense to trade him. They should unload the rentals, not a controllable piece on the cheap.
When Mullins and O’Hearn are gone in a little over a month, there will be plenty of ABs for him then. They’ll have more playing time for him later this year and next year
Kjerstad needs to get rid of his big leg kick. It’s why he gets beat on fastballs. It worked for Holliday.
^ This.
Interesting. I know that Kjerstad’s season stats are a mess but he looked to be turning things around since the calendar flipped to June.
I feel for Kjerstad. I personally feel he’s been mismanaged for three years running. They’re trying to protect him from LHP, but the guys they try to protect him with never do anything. Just plug him into the lineup for a few months and see what happens. Major league pitching is hard enough to face without getting 10 plate appearances a week.
At 26, he’s not really a young player anymore but he represents the struggle teams face with these guys. They need extended playing time to comfortable and see what they can do, but in the spots they do play, they aren’t good enough to warrant playing every day. Hence they yo-yo around if they don’t hit the ground running. And there just too many players on the team right now who will get the playing time.
Trademarking the Baltimore Beavers Fan Club