LAKELAND, Fla. – Heston Kjerstad doesn’t care about your roster predictions or your cynicism.

He’ll keep hitting the cover off the ball in spring training and go where the Orioles tell him. Minor league camp or Baltimore. At least he’s healthy again and making loud noises at the plate.

Kjerstad hit another home run today, his first in an exhibition game and third when counting live batting practice. He ran the count full in the first inning against former Oriole Jack Flaherty and launched a slider 399 feet to right-center field at 100.5 mph.

The live BPs also included a handful of “singles,” with players and media making their own rulings. The contact is solid, the smiles much more prevalent.

“Right now I feel really good with my swing,” he said. “We’ve been having quality work in the new facility and also getting out on the field a lot, taking live ABs off teammates. Felt really good with those. Eye at the plate, been driving the ball well.

“In a good spot to build upon it. Early in the spring want to keep making adjustments and expanding on what’s going on, but as of right now, I feel really solid at the plate.”

Kjerstad was on the Opening Day roster last year but slashed .192/.240/.327 in 54 games. He was optioned and didn’t play in the majors after June 6. He didn’t play anywhere after July 25, with the Orioles blaming fatigue for the shutdown with Triple-A Norfolk.

Details still aren’t shared, but Kjerstad reported to camp this spring as a full participant and feeling like a huge weight was lifted off him.

“For sure,” said Kjerstad, who also grounded out and hit into a force. “I feel really good right now just with my approach and everything that’s going on at the plate. And just to be out here healthy and playing with the team and being back on the field, you know, that’s always good.

“I’m trying to come in with the same mentality every year. I’m trying to earn a spot and do whatever I can to help the team win.”

First baseman Pete Alonso made the drive from Tampa and hit his second home run in two games, a 411-foot shot to left-center field in the third inning at 107.7 mph.

“I hope he hits one every single game,” said Kyle Bradish, who made his first start today. “That would be amazing.”

Alonso walked in his last plate appearance and was removed for a pinch-runner.

The Orioles led 2-0 in the second after Samuel Basallo doubled into right-center field against Tigers reliever Scott Effross at 108.9 mph, went to third base on center fielder Parker Meadows’ error and scored on Reed Trimble’s single. Trimble stole second base. He’s 61-for-61 in five minor league seasons.

Bradish retired the side in order on 10 pitches in the first inning, but the Tigers loaded the bases with no outs in the second and tied the game on Max Anderson’s bouncer up the middle.

Spencer Torkelson led off with a double, Wenceel Perez walked and Zach McKinstry reached on a ball that deflected off third baseman Coby Mayo’s glove on a backhand attempt. Hao-Yu Lee struck out looking before Anderson’s seeing-eye single.

Bradish threw 35 pitches, 22 for strikes. His sinker reached 95.8 mph. He got two ups and that was the main accomplishment.

“Feel really good coming out of that,” Bradish said. “Kind of got a little bit of everything. I was pleased with how my stuff was today. Clean up some of the locations, but got a lot of weak contact on the ground and during the season that plays really well.

“Mechanically, I feel really good and dialed in. And location will come as well as confidence in my pitches and putting away guys.”

Bradish is more interested in staying healthy than throwing harder, but the velocity was good today. He put on about 10 pounds while rehabbing from his elbow surgery and said he “got a lot stronger.”

“And then that carried over into the offseason,” he said. “Kept maintaining that work ethic and building strength.”

Former Oriole Austin Slater led off the third by homering on Brandon Young’s first pitch. Slater went to the opposite field, with help from the wind. Young struck out the next two batters, gave up a single to Perez and stranded him.

Young tossed a scoreless fourth and Cameron Foster struck out two batters while retiring the side in order in the fifth, with his fastball climbing into the upper 90s.

Anthony Nunez got a fly ball and two grounders to breeze through the sixth, and Cameron Weston had two strikeouts in the seventh while retiring the side in order.

José Barrero had an RBI double in the top of the fourth. Jeremiah Jackson was out at the plate.

Mayo lined to left field, doubled and singled before coming out of the game. He was wearing a USA hockey jersey as he left the clubhouse.

Left-hander Cade Povich starts Monday afternoon against the Braves in Sarasota and Albert Suárez starts Tuesday afternoon against the Twins in Fort Myers.

Update: Left-hander Andrew Magno allowed a run with two outs in the ninth and the game ended in a 4-4 tie.

Weston struck out two more batters in the eighth and stranded a runner to carry the lead to Magno, who surrendered an RBI single to Max Clark, baseball’s No. 10 prospect according to MLB Pipeline.

Shortstop Payton Eeles came out of the game in the bottom of the eighth after colliding with Enrique Bradfield Jr.

“Left shoulder discomfort, so precautionary,” said manager Craig Albernaz. “He had some adrenaline going through and he kind of felt some discomfort, so smart by him to kind of get off the field.”

Reliever Andrew Kittredge threw live batting practice earlier today in Sarasota.

Here’s Albernaz on Bradish: “He looked good to me. Strike quality wasn’t the best, the second inning in particular, but same thing. New uniform, a little amped up playing against another team. But he was moving well, he made pitches when he needed to. Sinker had some good movement on it, slider shape was really good. To me it was an encouraging first outing for KB.”

On Kjerstad: “He came into camp ready, he’s getting great work in. His new setup and stance is proven to be really good right now. And with Kjerstad, you just don’t know, as far as how he carries himself, his presence. He’s very even keel, so it just looks like it’s another game for him, which is awesome. Just good to see him barreling balls up.”

On Alonso: “The fun thing is just hearing the in-game conversations with Pete and everyone else. He’s very in tune with every at-bat, helping out the other hitters, what they’re seeing. Just having good ball talk, which he says every time. But it’s a real thing. That’s the best part with Pete in the dugout right now.”