Orioles prospect doing Baltimore massive favors at trade deadline

Not only do the Baltimore Orioles have the third-best record in the majors entering Friday's action, but they happen to have one of, if not the best farm system in the majors. If that sounds unfair, it probably feels that way to their AL East rivals. Baltimore is set up to win now and for a very long time.

With that being said, since they are currently 51-30 on the year, the Orioles should be doing whatever they can to win right now. If the right deal is out there involving a prospect, they should jump at said opportunity.

While a prospect like Jackson Holliday is probably unavailable, the Orioles have several other intriguing options for teams like Heston Kjerstad, who is flashing star potential with the O's.

Heston Kjerstad is increasing his stock by the day

Kjerstad, Baltimore's No. 4 prospect and the No. 20 prospect overall according to MLB Pipeline, has dominated minor league pitching in his three seasons, posting a .912 OPS overall. He had been even better in the upper levels. He hadn't gotten much of an opportunity in the majors until recently because this Orioles team is so stacked.

The Orioles had him with the major league team earlier this season, but he wasn't getting consistent at-bats. This time around has been different, though. The Orioles promoted him back to the majors on Monday, and he has played three of Baltimore's four games since, only sitting when they faced a left-handed pitcher.

In those four games, Kjerstad has a pair of multi-hit performances, and he just launched a home run on Thursday.

It wasn't just a home run. It was a long one to dead center field off of a pretty good pitcher too, Jon Gray. Kjerstad had two hits, drew a walk, and drove in three runs in Baltimore's blowout victory. Kjerstad has always displayed a ton of pop in the minors, but this is in the majors.

He has four hits in 11 at-bats since his recall with two of those hits being for extra bases. Small sample size, of course, but Kjerstad is showing signs of performing at this level already in his first chance of semi-regular playing time.

The Orioles won't rush to trade a guy like Kjerstad, but what if a frontline starting pitcher is available? What if, say Garrett Crochet can be had with Kjerstad being the centerpiece? The White Sox would certainly love to see that the guy they're targeting is performing at the MLB level.

Kjerstad swinging a hot bat in the majors does one of these two things. It either raises his trade value to the point where they can get a superstar for him, or it gives the Orioles a 25-year-old outfielder to build around and play consistently. Win-win either way.