Heston Kjerstad, Wife Klaire Make Major Personal Announcement Before Orioles Season

Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz made it clear that he isn't the one making final roster decisions when speaking with the media on March 15.

"I’m definitely not the decision-maker. I’m just the manager of the team," Albernaz said, per an X post from Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun. "Just like what we talked about in the offseason, when it comes to trades, and free agents, and acquisitions, that is not my job at all. I have full trust in Mike [Elias] and his group when it comes to those decisions.

"But when it comes to the decision-making, obviously, I'll have my thoughts and opinions on stuff, but ultimately, it's an organizational approach to it. So it's definitely not me making the sole decision," Albernaz added.

Craig Albernaz | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

While it might not ultimately be up to Albernaz, one of the Orioles players to keep an eye on as the Opening Day roster is finalized is Heston Kjerstad.

Kjerstad hasn't quite found his footing in the big leagues. He has produced a .649 OPS in 106 games with Baltimore across the past three seasons, and is no longer capable of being called a prospect.

Kjerstad still shows some promise and could be poised for a breakout season. And the fact that he was the No. 2 pick of the 2020 MLB Draft means that Baltimore is going to give him every opportunity to succeed. But the bottom line is that patience is wearing thin, especially because Kjerstad hasn't proven worthy of a starting position in the Orioles' outfield this season.

Heston Kjerstad and Wife Klaire Announce Pregnancy

Whatever Kjerstad's future on the field holds, he shared a remarkable achievement off the field on March 15. He and his wife, Klaire, made a joint Instagram post that showed several photos of them holding and looking at sonogram photos.

"surprise!!! party of three!!! coming soon!!!🤍," the post's caption wrote.

Heston and Klaire met when they were both at the University of Arkansas, where Heston played from 2018 to 2020. Klaire was on the volleyball team and played from 2017 through 2020.

Heston was quoted in a 2023 article from Best of Arkansas Sports as saying, “[Klaire has] been one of my biggest supporters right along with family and friends. She’s always always pumped. She’s always there whether it’s coming out to watch those big games or just support me. It’s good to have someone like that to cheer you on when times aren’t so great.”

Congratulations to the happy couple.