[21] After beginning the 2022 season in extended spring training, Kjerstad made his professional debut on June 10, 2022, for the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds.

[22] In early July, he was promoted to the High-A Aberdeen IronBirds after batting .463 with 37 hits and 17 RBIs in 22 games with Delmarva.

[25] The Orioles invited Kjerstad to spring training in 2023 as a non-roster player; he batted .381 with four home runs in 23 games before being reassigned to minor league camp.

[26] Kjerstad began the 2023 season with the Double-A Bowie Baysox and started playing first base in addition to outfield.

On September 14, 2023, Kjerstad was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time following an injury to Ryan Mountcastle.

[32] He struck out as a pinch hitter for Jordan Westburg to lead off the eighth inning in a 4–3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in his MLB debut later that evening.

[33] He got his first MLB hit in a 7–1 loss to the same opponent the following night on September 15 when he ended Zach Eflin's no-hitter attempt with a leadoff homer to right-center in the sixth.