O’s Grab Arkansas OF Heston Kjerstad Second Overall

With the first surprise of the 2020 Major League Baseball draft, the Baltimore Orioles selected Heston Kjerstad from the University of Arkansas. Baltimore picked the 6-foot-3-inch, 205-pound outfielder over Vanderbilt University’s Austin Martin, who was widely believed to be the Orioles’ choice. Though many labeled Martin as the best position player from the Southeastern Conference in the draft, Kjerstad is not far behind.

Kjerstad, a native of Amarillo, Texas, was drafted in the 36th round by the Seattle Mariners out of high school, but opted to play for the Razorbacks. His left-handed bat, laced with pop, helped Arkansas reach the College World Series in consecutive seasons.

As a freshman in 2018, he burst on to the scene slashing .332/.419/.553. He racked up 87 hits and 14 home runs, both single-season records for Arkansas freshmen. His 145 total bases set a new freshman record in the SEC. He earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors and two freshman All-American nods.

Kjerstad posted nearly identical numbers in 2019, slugging 17 homers and driving in 51 runs with a .327/.400/.575 slash line.

After his sophomore campaign, he made the United States Collegiate National Team. In 14 games last summer, he collected 17 hits and slashed .395/.426/.651.

In his pandemic-shortened junior season, Kjerstad was off to a red-hot start. A unanimous preseason All-American, he had a pair of multi-homer games in Arkansas’ first series of 2020 and recorded a hit in each of his 16 games. He mashed six homers, drove in 20 runs, walked seven times against just nine strikeouts and slashed .448/.513/.791.

His bat did not falter in his two NCAA Tournament appearances either. In 2018, when the Razorbacks reached the CWS Finals, he hit .311 and slugged .659 with three homers and 11 RBIs. Last year, he hit .313, slugged .688 and tacked on three more homers and seven RBIs.

Kjerstad can play either corner outfield position, and he logged a few innings at first base as well. He is decent with the glove, but he can nail runners going for extra bases.

He amassed just nine stolen bases at Arkansas, but his ability to get on base and drive in runs tremendously outweighs his below-average speed on the base paths.

If Kjerstad can make a smooth transition into professional baseball, expect him to join the Orioles in 2021.