Heston Kjerstad

While the shortened 2020 season impacts every player, Kjerstad might be one of the least negatively impacted players outside of the top five draft prospects. The Arkansas outfielder has a long track record of hitting for average and power, both in the Southeastern Conference and with USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team. Kjerstad hit .395/.426/.651 to lead Team USA in all three slash line categories last summer, with three doubles, a triple and two home runs in 14 games. He hit better than .330/.400/.550 in each of his first two seasons at Arkansas and was off to another hot start in his junior campaign before the season shut down. Kjerstad is a potential middle-of-the-order hitter with plus raw power and the ability to leave a ballpark in any direction. He can change games with one swing and brings premium lefthanded power to a lineup. Kjerstad's swing is a bit unorthodox, with a pause and big leg kick that interrupts his timing, which has led to more strikeouts than evaluators would optimally like. While Kjerstad cut his strikeout rate in a small sample size this spring, teams believe he may always strike out at an elevated rate. Kjerstad is a decent athlete for his size, but it would be optimistic to expect more than adequate defense from him in left or right field. He has a solid, accurate throwing arm. Most of Kjerstad's value is tied to his bat. He should be drafted at some point in the middle of the first round.