FAYETTEVILLE -- The Baltimore Orioles surprised analysts across baseball Wednesday night by selecting University of Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad with the second pick of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft.
Kjerstad became the second-highest pick for the Razorbacks after infielder Jeff King, who was the first pick of the 1986 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Kjerstad, the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2018, had a huge 16-game start in 2020, but most analysts projected he would be taken between the seventh and 12th picks in the draft. However, the 6-3 left-handed hitter had been in contact with Orioles General Manager Mike Elias and the franchise's Texas-based scout Ken Guthrie, a longtime friend of his father, leading up to the draft.