Kjerstad, Lucas Promoted to Triple-A Norfolk
In conjunction with the Baltimore Orioles, the Norfolk Tides today announced that Orioles top prospects Heston Kjerstad and Easton Lucas are being promoted from Double-A Bowie to Norfolk. According to MLB Pipeline, Kjerstad is ranked #50 on their MLB Top 100 prospect list and #4 in the Orioles Top 30.
In conjunction with the Baltimore Orioles, the Norfolk Tides today announced that Orioles top prospects Heston Kjerstad and Easton Lucas are being promoted from Double-A Bowie to Norfolk. According to MLB Pipeline, Kjerstad is ranked #50 on their MLB Top 100 prospect list and #4 in the Orioles Top 30. Kjerstad is also ranked #91 according to Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects list, and entered the season ranked #12 in Baltimore’s organization.
HESTON KJERSTAD (pronounced KERR-stad), 24, was born in Amarillo, Texas and was drafted by the Orioles in the 1st round (2nd overall) of the 2020 MLB Draft out of the University of Arkansas. In 2017, he was drafted by the Seattle Mariners out of Canyon Randall High School but did not sign. In 46 games played with Bowie, Kjerstad hit .310 (57-for-184) with 30 runs, 10 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 23 RBI, 15 walks and three stolen bases while slashing .383/.576/.959. Kjerstad leaves Bowie leading the Eastern League leaders in slugging percentage, while also ranking in triples (T-2nd), home runs (T-3rd), OPS (T-3rd), hits (T-3rd), extra-base hits (T-3rd, 24), batting average (4th) and hit-by-pitches (T-6th, 7). In 2022, Kjerstad was named an MiLB.com Organizational All-Star and earned Most Valuable Player of the Arizona Fall League for the Scottsdale Scorpions.
EASTON LUCAS, 26, was born in Thousand Oaks, California and was originally drafted by the Miami Marlins in the 14th round of the 2019 MLB Draft from Pepperdine University. The Orioles acquired him on December 2, 2019 in a trade with Miami for Jonathan Villar. The southpaw has made 11 relief appearances for Bowie, going 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA (3 ER, 17.0 IP). He struck out 24 batters while walking four, has a 0.77 WHIP and has allowed a .155 opponent’s average (9-for-58). Among the 71 Eastern League pitchers with at least 17.0 innings pitched in relief, Lucas ranked in WHIP (1st), strikeouts to walks ratio (1st, 6.00), walks per 9.0 IP (2nd, 2.12), ERA (4th), strikeouts per 9.0 IP (4th, 12.71), and opponent’s average (8th). He leaves Bowie with an 8.2 scoreless innings streak over five games since May 12.
With the addition of Kjerstad (#50), the Tides have six current Top 100 prospects (MLB Pipeline): Colton Cowser (#29), Jordan Westburg (#49), DL Hall (#79), Joey Ortiz (#80) and Connor Norby (#85). Along with the call-ups of Kjerstad and Lucas, Hudson Haskin will return to Norfolk from Bowie. Haskin is currently ranked #13 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Orioles prospects list.
Ticketing Information
Fans can purchase tickets in person at the Harbor Park box office or online at NorfolkTides.com/Tickets. The Harbor Park box office is currently open from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday each week. The box office also opens at 10 a.m. on Saturdays when the team is at home, and is open from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturdays with no home game.
Single-game tickets start at $15 for Reserved Seats, with Box Seats available for $16. The Tides also offer special discounts to children ages two through high school, active military with ID (4 tickets per ID) and senior citizens (60 +). These special discounts are available in the Lower and Upper Reserved sections and can be purchased for $12. Children under two years old are admitted free of charge. For groups of 20 or more, please call the Norfolk Tides front office to speak with a group sales representative at 757-622-2222.
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring
'Hungry' Alcántara hoping to pounce on big league prey in '25
MESA, Ariz. -- The thing about jaguars is, you don’t want to see one when it’s hungry. So when Cubs legend Sammy Sosa spoke to the organization’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline -- and the No. 89 prospect overall -- the former slugger gave him some apt advice. “His
Rainiers broadcaster Pay talks historic role on MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Prospect Santos 'electric' in Spring Breakout start
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Malcolm Moore knew Winston Santos was locked in before he even threw a pitch. In the second annual Spring Breakout game, Santos -- the Rangers’ No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline -- was throwing to Moore, the Rangers’ No. 4 prospect and highest-ranked catcher. The battery more
Switch-pitcher Cijntje deals from both sides in Spring Breakout
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Jurrangelo Cijntje knew who’d be waiting for him in the batter’s box when he emerged from the visiting bullpen on Friday evening. The Mariners’ switch-pitcher had seen Guardians infielder Travis Bazzana recently at a card-signing event, to which they each joked, “I’m going to see you soon,”
Fans in this Minor League town are hungry for ... the Spicy Meatballs?!?
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Chandler adds mix to upper-90s heat in stellar Spring Breakout start
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- In the inaugural Spring Breakout game a year ago, as he was coming out to pitch the ninth inning, Bubba Chandler slammed a Red Bull and declared “let’s do this” before pumping upper-90s heat.