2020 1st round pick (2): Heston Kjerstad - OF - (Junior) (Arkansas)

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, MountUrCastle said:

Draft Kjerstad high here -> balk on signing -> draft Kjerstad later in next years draft

Wouldn't he have to agree to the O's drafting him?

[wildbillhiccup]

9 minutes ago, MountUrCastle said:

The sheer existence of track running/long distance running/etc should really disprove that.

Half the battle for someone who is slow is developing endurance to get more out of your energy.

They aren't training to be track athletes, they're training to be baseball players. And even the elite players, who have speed, usually end up sacrificing it to focus on the other aspects of their game, which they deem more important. You aren't going to turn someone into a realistic stolen base thread who has average to below  average speed. It's just not happening. 

Martin projected to be much better defensively and on the base paths. Call me crazy, but the idea of potentially having speedy OF with great defensive skills in CF for the next 10 years has much more appeal to me than a 30 HR slow plodding corner outfielder. Everyone hits 30 HRs in the launch angle era. I truly hope he can do more than that or I think they'll regret passing on Martin. 

[Ohfan67]

3 minutes ago, Philip said:

I would imagine that very few guys go to bed and dream about being Orioles.

I’m sure tons of kids from Amarillo who play college ball in Arkansas Go to bed dreaming of crab cakes every night! 

[Sydnor]

I don’t care what they do with the rest of the draft. I could not be more disappointed in this pick. He struck out 22% of the time and 7th most in the SEC. I said I wouldn’t meltdown over Gonzales and meant it. I saw Keith Law mention this rumor, but never believed it. I won’t meltdown over this pick, but I won’t be watching the remainder of the draft.

[MountUrCastle]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

Wouldn't he have to agree to the O's drafting him?

Oral agreement between the club and he to draft him at say 7th next year instead of 3? 

[wildbillhiccup]

5 minutes ago, weams said:

I bet he has an oral agreement in place. 

100%. 

[wildcard]

49 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Henderson hasn't grown into his power yet so he's an unknown. He very well may turn into a legitimate power hitter prospect, but for now, he's too raw to really say he's left-handed power in the system. Rutschman counts for sure despite being a switch-hitter. Santander is on the major league roster and doesn't really count as in the system but either way, while having pop, he doesn't have plus power.

Santander's 20 homers in 380 AB last year means he is finding some power.   9 homers lefty in 136 AB means he is finding some of that lefty.

[Moose Milligan]

6 minutes ago, Philip said:

I would imagine that very few guys go to bed and dream about being Orioles.

I think he's just excited to be drafted.  No one of a certain age dreams about being Orioles.  Maybe if this were the 1970s, but not the 2020s.

[MountUrCastle]

1 minute ago, wildbillhiccup said:

They aren't training to be track athletes, they're training to be baseball players. And even the elite players, who have speed, usually end up sacrificing it to focus on the other aspects of their game, which they deem more important. You aren't going to turn someone into a realistic stolen base thread who has average to below  average speed. It's just not happening. 

Martin projected to be much better defensively and on the base paths. Call me crazy, but the idea of potentially having speedy OF with great defensive skills in CF for the next 10 years has much more appeal to me than a 30 HR slow plodding corner outfielder. Everyone hits 30 HRs in the launch angle era. I truly hope he can do more than that or I think they'll regret passing on Martin. 

I fully agree with the second point, and I think you're mistaking my point haha. My point is that all of Kjerstad's weaknesses are all either super iffy to change in terms of approach or in the end ultimately not worth it to develop in comparison to other compartments of the game, while Martin's weaknesses are more desirable and generally easier to develop.

[weams]

 

 

[wildbillhiccup]

2 minutes ago, MountUrCastle said:

I fully agree with the second point, and I think you're mistaking my point haha. My point is that all of Kjerstad's weaknesses are all either super iffy to change in terms of approach or in the end ultimately not worth it to develop in comparison to other compartments of the game, while Martin's weaknesses are more desirable and generally easier to develop.

Then when we're on the same page. As they say, Kjerstad "is what he is".

[badmamajama]

Meh. Upside is he's a lefty power bat. And though he's not fleet of foot, it seems like he has a + glove and arm. Speed isn't a big issue if you can get a good jump and read on the ball. Downside is he's probably not gonna win a batting title and strikesout a good amount. You can't teach speed but you can plate discipline. Still was a top 10 talent on a lot of draft boards. Like I said, meh. Rather would have had Martin.

Edited June 11, 2020 by badmamajama

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, badmamajama said:

Meh. Upside is he's a lefty power bat. And though he's not fleet of foot, it seems like he has a + glove and arm. Speed isn't a big issue if you can get a good jump and read on the ball. Downside is he's probably not gonna win a batting title and strikeout a good amount. You can't teach speed but you can plate discipline. Still was atop 10 talent on a lot of draft boards. Like I said, meh. Rather would have had Martin.

From what I've read it's pretty hard to teach plate discipline to a college bat.

[wildbillhiccup]

Just now, badmamajama said:

Meh. Upside is he's a lefty power bat. And though he's not fleet of foot, it seems like he has a + glove and arm. Speed isn't a big issue if you can get a good jump and read on the ball. Downside is he's probably not gonna win a batting title and strikeout a good amount. You can't teach speed but you can plate discipline. Still was atop 10 talent on a lot of draft boards. Like I said, meh. Rather would have had Martin.

The MLB Network comp was Kyle Schwarber. Kyle Schwarber isn't even an everyday baseball player, so I really hope the team sees something there that the rest of the world does not. 

[Greg Pappas]

4 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I think he's just excited to be drafted.  No one of a certain age dreams about being Orioles.  Maybe if this were the 1970s, but not the 2020s.

Outside of Brooksie, the Arkansas to Baltimore connection is less than stellar.