Colorado Rockies 2020 MLB Draft Profile: OF Heston Kjerstad

Welcome to the DNVR Rockies MLB Draft 2020 Preview Series where we profile individuals we think make the most sense for Colorado to target on Wednesday, June 10, 5:00 MT. We will have full live coverage on Facebook, Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube.

If you are less inclined to make pitching the first, second, and third priority for the Colorado Rockies in the 2020 MLB Draft, an interesting avenue opens up to potentially add a bat that would terrorize the NL West for years to come.

Perhaps the most intriguing name that is likely to be on the board when Colorado selects at No. 9 overall is Heston Kjerstad out of Arkansas.

An offense-first pick without question, Kjerstad is an outfielder who is expected to stay in the corners. He has a very strong throwing arm, giving him some defensive utility, but the vast majority of his value comes from a 70 grade power tool that has shown up consistently throughout his games with the Razorbacks.

Concerns

This is impressive considering his swing has some moving parts. It’s a bit herky-jerky with a big leg kick that could otherwise be exploited by better pitchers. It could also be an obvious cause for inconsistency. Think Carlos González when matching up such a profile.

While the swing looks prone to long slumps which could be made even longer by the Coors Field Hangover Effect, this kid could be a nightmare to face for opposing pitchers when the mechanics are flowing.

If Colorado’s scouts believe he has the right approach at the plate, has good enough pitch-recognition, and is willing to adapt his impressive skills, he is a huge bat who could be in the big leagues before too long as he is already north of 21 years old.

At 6’3″, 200 lbs, there is even more room for him to fill out and add more strength to a profile already built on it. The high strikeout rate and unusual swing are red flags for sure. Should the bat suffer, you aren’t going to get much athleticism or defense as a general lack of a Plan B allows for trepidation for Kjerstad at ninth overall.

However, it has been a while since the Colorado had a true slugger to roam the most offensive park in baseball and Kjerstad may have what it takes to be exactly that.