Ryder Helfrick

Helfrick really struggled with his first taste of the SEC, but had an explosive sophmore year, quickly establishing himself as one of the top catchers in all of college baseball. There's a ton of power upside at the dish, and this should be a guy who can stick at the catcher position long term.

At the plate Helfrick flashes loud raw power with exit velocities up of 112 mph at times. There's feel to lift the baseball as well, contributing to what some see could eventually become plus power. With the power upside, comes some swing-and-miss, but it's something Helfrick has worked on considerably to improve over the years. Helfrick's strikeout rates have improved drastically throughout his 3 years at Arkansas, as have the contact rates. Even if Helfrick never reaches a 50-grade hit tool, it's easy to dream on him becoming the type of power bat that defines some of the top backstops in the game.

Helfrick ranked as the top defender in the country throughout the 2026 season by way of defensive runs saved. From a pure metrics standpoint, he's the best framer in the country. Helfrick has plus arm strength with explosive pop times, too. He gets high praise for his ability to call his own games and manage a pitching staff, an art rarely found in todays day and age. Helfrick has the profile to become a first-round pick.