Kjerstad, Martin try for UA first

Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad, who had 37 home runs and 129 RBI in two-plus seasons with the Razorbacks, is expected to be selected early in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft, which begins tonight. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. Wampler)
Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad, who had 37 home runs and 129 RBI in two-plus seasons with the Razorbacks, is expected to be selected early in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft, which begins tonight. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. Wampler)

FAYETTEVILLE -- The University of Arkansas has never had two baseball players taken in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft in the same year, but that little factoid might have an expiration date tonight.

If the experts are right, it depends on where gifted shortstop Casey Martin of Lonoke is taken during the shortened five-round draft, which starts at 6 tonight on the MLB Network with 29 first-round picks (the Astros forfeited their pick due to the sign-stealing scandal) and eight compensatory selections.

The last four rounds, totaling 160 selections, will begin at 4 p.m. Thursday on the MLB Network and ESPN2. Normally 40 rounds, the draft was shortened this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Martin is projected as a late first- or early second-round selection. His teammate, power-hitting outfielder Heston Kjerstad, might go in the top 10.

Kjerstad, of Amarillo, Texas, is seen as the first outfielder off the board by many analysts. He is projected to go to Pittsburgh with the No. 7 pick by MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo. He is projected lower in other mock drafts, including No. 9 to the Colorado Rockies by Baseball America.

"Breaking records as freshmen together and being able to come into the draft together and possibly set a new record, man, that would be awesome, honestly," said Martin, who said he'll be watching the draft with immediate family members in Little Rock. "That would be just another milestone for me and him in our lives to look back on as part of all our successes together. That would be sweet."

Martin is slotted as the No. 28 college prospect in the draft by D1Baseball.com, which ranked Kjerstad as the No. 11 college player available and Arkansas catcher Casey Opitz as No. 72 on its list of top 100 college prospects.

"This is a childhood dream, a childhood goal," Martin said. "This is my all-time life goal to reach. Going to Arkansas, just being on the team you have an opportunity just because of the program and what it's known for.

"Because of [the players], because of [Coach Dave Van Horn], here we are getting to possibly pursue my childhood dream. It's been a blast. It's been stressful, but it's been fun most of all."

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If Casey Martin (above) and Heston Kjerstad are both taken in the first round, it will mark the first time two Arkansas players have achieved the feat in the same draft. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)

The trio of Kjerstad, Martin and Opitz led the Razorbacks to back-to-back College World Series appearances, including a runner-up finish in 2018. The Razorbacks were 11-5 before the pandemic ended this season on March 13.

"I see all three of them being drafted ... and being taken care of well financially," Van Horn said. "They've all three been a huge part of our success the last few years.

"With all three of these -- Heston, Casey and Casey -- a lot of good leadership qualities. Work ethic was very good. They've been a part of some really good teams. A couple of teams that went to Omaha. Part of another team this year that I think would have had a great opportunity to get there as well.

"I just appreciate everything they've done. Statistically they've all been outstanding. Defensively, it's been incredible. I look forward to watching those guys being selected in the draft, then also keeping an eye on their careers for hopefully the next 10 or 20 years."

Kjerstad was named SEC Freshman of the Year and a freshman All-American in 2018, when he hit .332 with 14 home runs, 16 doubles and 58 RBI as the Hogs' primary left fielder. He switched to right field and hit .327 with 13 doubles, 17 home runs and 51 RBI as a sophomore.

He was leading the Razorbacks with a .448 average, .791 slugging percentage, 6 home runs, 20 RBI and .513 on-base percentage before the 2020 season was halted.

Kjerstad told the MLB Network in an interview this week that he improved as a hitter this season.

"That was my main thing going into the junior year ... I wanted to have a little bit better plate discipline, be more selective, get more walks and cut down on the strikeouts," Kjerstad told the network. "I knew that would help me reach a new level in my game, and I'll be honest, my freshman and sophomore years in college, I was a young 18- and 19-year-old, and I was trying to swing it and hit long balls just because.

"You dream about that as a kid, but I slowly started to realize, I don't have to swing too hard, I've just got to be on time and to the right pitch and it'll go. Me being more selective for this spring really helped me get off to the start I did, and I noticed a huge uptick in all parts of my game."

MLB.com's Mayo is picking Kjerstad as the fourth SEC player off the board tonight, following Vanderbilt infielder Austin Martin (projected as the No. 2 pick), Texas A&M left-handed pitcher Asa Lacey (3) and Georgia right-handed pitcher Emerson Hancock (6).

Mayo also projects Tennessee lefty Garrett Crochet, Georgia righty Cole Wilcox and Mississippi State second baseman Justin Foscue to be selected among the first 29 picks.

Martin, a unanimous preseason All-American, was hitting .271 with 5 doubles, 2 home runs, 7 runs and 10 RBI in the shortened 2020 season.

He was a first-team freshman All-American in 2018 with a team-high .345 batting average, 14 doubles, 13 home runs, 49 RBI and a team-high .556 slugging percentage. Martin hit .286 as a sophomore, with 21 doubles, 15 home runs and 57 RBI.

Opitz learned behind veteran Grant Koch during the Razorbacks' run to the 2018 CWS, then became a two-year starter. He is from a baseball family in Centennial, Colo., and trying to surpass his brothers Jake and Shane, who both made it to Class AAA before ending their professional careers.

"I sure hope this is the greatest Opitz to come, because neither one of us older brothers could crack the big leagues," Jake Opitz, 33, told the Denver Post for a feature story last week. "So it's on him now. But he's got a unique skill set, and he's maybe the best catcher in the country."

Opitz is a switch-hitter who was judged to have the "Best Catcher Arm" by major-league scouts, according to Baseball America, entering the 2020 season.

He hit .302 with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run, 10 runs and 11 RBI while throwing out 6 of 10 base stealers this season. Opitz, who gained nearly 25 pounds while at Arkansas, hit .243 with 3 home runs and 33 RBI in 50 starts as a sophomore in 2019.

Opitz has said he is fully prepared to return to the Razorbacks if he isn't taken in the five rounds, but Van Horn expects he will be drafted.

"With the rule changes, where guys get the year back, it's always good to have that in my back pocket in case something changes," Opitz told the Denver Post. "But right now, I'm ready to take that next step in my career."

Opitz will be watching the draft somewhere on the front range of the Rocky Mountains near his family home in Centennial, a southern suburb of Denver.

The Razorbacks are likely to lose a few signees from their top 10 signing class, which is headlined by infielder/pitcher Masyn Winn, right-hander Nate Wohlgemuth, utility player Cayden Wallace of Greenbrier, right-hander Markevian "Tink" Hence of Watson Chapel, left-handed pitcher Nick Griffin of Monticello, and outfielder David Calabrese of Maple, Ontario, Canada.

"As coaches, we're trying to make sure we're going to have a quality team in the spring of '21, and trying to obviously figure out if we're going to get this guy or that guy and where this person's going to be drafted," Van Horn said. "Are they going to turn down the money to come to school? There's just a lot going on right now. A lot of unknown.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette/Ben Goff

Casey Opitz has told Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn that he plans to return to the Razorbacks if he is not drafted. But Van Horn said he expects him to be taken.
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Ben Goff)

"Obviously we have some connections so we can find out what some scouts are thinking and some teams, what they're thinking and what they've heard. But it's still up in the air until you see that draft choice taken or not taken. You just never know.

"I can't wait for Thursday night to be over with."

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