On night one of the First-Year Player Draft the Orioles got two Southeastern Conference players from Texas to add to their farm system. They selected an outfielder and an infielder. They added Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad (pronounced KERR-stad) with the No. 2 overall pick and they selected Mississippi State infielder Jordan Westburg at No. 30. Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias made it clear last night Kjerstad was the player the club liked the most at No. 2,...

The Orioles knew fairly early in the draft process that they were taking a position player. Executive vice president Mike Elias especially liked one pitcher, but not with the second overall pick. Not with so many intriguing hitters. Elias didn't meet in person with Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad, who in the executive's words was more of a dark horse candidate to join the organization. Their Zoom call proved to be an important step in solidifying the decision. The player that they liked...

Oklahoma right-hander Cade Cavalli spoke with reporters via Zoom conference call on Wednesday after being selected by the Nationals with the No. 22 overall pick of the 2020 MLB Draft.

The Baltimore Orioles tonight selected outfielder Heston Kjerstad from the University of Arkansas with the second overall selection of the 2020 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The Orioles also selected infielder Jordan Westburg at No. 30 overall from Mississippi State University. Kjerstad, 21, hit .448/.513/.791 (30-for-67) with five doubles, six home runs, 19 runs, and 20 RBI in 16 games during his junior season, which was shortened due to COVID-19. He led the Razorbacks in...

The Washington Nationals selected right-handed pitcher Cade Cavalli out of the University of Oklahoma with the No. 22 selection in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Assistant General Manager & Vice President of Scouting Operations Kris Kline and Director of Scouting Operations Eddie Longosz made the joint announcement. Cavalli, a 6-foot-4, 226-pound junior went 1-2 with a 4.18 ERA (11 ER/23.2 IP) and 37 strikeouts...

The Nationals continued a draft strategy that has worked well in the past by selecting a pitcher with their first pick in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft. Their first selection at No. 22 was right-hander Cade Cavalli of Oklahoma. Cavalli features a solid fastball, clocked at upwards of 98 mph, with a power curveball and a consistent slider. Cavalli was thrilled to see his name come up as a Nats selection. "It was awesome," Cavalli said on a Zoom call with local media. "I was grateful to...

New Oriole Heston Kjerstad, taken by the club with the No. 2 pick tonight in the First-Year Player Draft, showed some confidence when he talked to reporters during a Zoom interview. After Detroit took Spencer Torkelson as expected, the Orioles pulled a surprise with the selection of the lefty-hitting outfielder from the University of Arkansas. "I'm just excited to be a part of Birdland now and embark on my next journey of professional baseball," Kjerstad said. "Right now, I'm just stoked...

The second-best power bat in baseball's First-Year Player Draft is headed to the Orioles organization. With their choices narrowed to five players heading into tonight, the Orioles passed on Vanderbilt's Austin Martin and chose Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad with the second overall pick. The first surprise of the night didn't take long to surface. Kjerstad, 21, slashed .448/.513/.791 with five doubles, six home runs and 20 RBIs in 16 games before baseball shut down due to the...

The Baltimore Orioles tonight announced that they have selected outfielder Heston Kjerstad from the University of Arkansas with the second overall selection of the 2020 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Kjerstad, 21, hit .448/.513/.791 (30-for-67) with five doubles, six home runs, 19 runs, and 20 RBI in 16 games during his junior season, which was shortened due to COVID-19. He led the Razorbacks in batting average, hits, home runs, RBI, total bases (53), on-base percentage, and...

Welcome to the First-Year Player Draft. Tonight we will find out the Nationals' selection at No. 22. They also have selections in these next two days at No. 55 and No. 71 overall. Tonight will feature a pair of University of Georgia right-handers in Emerson Hancock and Cole Wilcox very likely going in the first round. Hancock is slated as the No. 4 prospect and Wilcox is judged No. 23 overall in the latest MLB.com top 200 prospect list. Georgia has had two players go in the first round twice...