Razorbacks baseball report

Key cogs changing positions

FAYETTEVILLE — The SEC freshman of the year in 2018 has a new position this year and so does his classmate.

Heston Kjerstad will switch corner outfield spots and open in right field today for the University of Arkansas in its season opener against Eastern Illinois. Kjerstad hit .322 with 14 home runs and a team-high 58 RBI as the Razorbacks tied Ole Miss for the SEC West crown and lost to Oregon State in the College World Series finals.

“I feel pretty good about it,” Kjerstad said of his new vantage point in right field. “It’s a little different angle, but still the same thing as left. You’ve just got to catch whatever comes your way.

“I feel like it’s a good fit for me arm-wise, making some longer throws. It’ll be fun out there.”

Casey Martin, who hit a team-high .345 with 13 home runs and 49 RBI, will shift from third base to shortstop.

Center fielder Dominic Fletcher said he liked what he’s seen from Kjerstad in right field.

“He’s done really well,” Fletcher said. “He has a really good arm over there. You want your right fielder to have a good arm. And then I think he was kind of batting the sun a little bit in left, so moving him over to right will probably help with that a little bit.”

Kjerstad had a fly ball hit off his face during the postseason last year, but he also made one of the year’s top catches to rob Dallas Baptist’s Devlin Granberg of a home run in a 4-3 victory for the Razorbacks in the final game of the NCAA Fayetteville Regional.

Coach Dave Van Horn said he wanted to opt for defensive strength up the middle in opting to start Jack Kenley at second base and have Jacob Nesbit at third base to open the season.

At catcher, the Razorbacks are expected to use both Casey Opitz and Zack Plunkett, who have both been defensive stalwarts.