3 Things Orioles Fans Need to Know About 2020 First-Round Pick Heston Kjerstad

The Baltimore Orioles were expected to use the No. 2 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft on Vanderbilt star Austin Martin, but surprised plenty of pundits when they drafted Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad. Some O's fans might be a bit upset that they passed on Martin, but they can, and should, take solace in the fact that Kjerstad is a refined hitter with all sorts of pop who should blaze through the minor leagues.

3. He Hit .448 This Season

Yes, that is not a typo. Kjerstad played in just 16 games due to the pandemic, but he was on a tear, hitting .448 after posting .332 and .331 averages in his freshman and sophomore year. That ability to make contact as easily as he does with that rare left-handed power should get him to the majors within two or three years.

2. He Was A Unanimous First-Team Preseason All-American

Kjerstad was considered to be a first-team All-American, and he almost assuredly would have ended up on the proper team if the coronavirus pandemic hadn't shut everything down. Kjerstad was already coming off of All-American and All-SEC honors as a sophomore, so the Orioles can take solace in the fact his production has been sustained excellence against the best college baseball players in the country. Double-A pitching should be nothing to him.

1. He Has Earned Comparisons to Austin Meadows and Todd Helton

Kjerstad's sweet swing from the left-hand side makes him look like a virtual carbon copy of Meadows, who just clubbed 33 home runs for the Tampa Bay Rays and appears to be one of the game's hottest young offensive stars. Orioles legend Jim Palmer also compared his power to that of former Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton. If Kjerstad ends up as HALF the player Helton was during his prime, the Orioles would have drafted a franchise cornerstone who could anchor their lineup for generations.