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Arkansas baseball set a program record in 2025 with four first-round draft picks.
The 2026 MLB Draft won't be as fruitful of an opening round for the Razorbacks, but there's an outside chance they come one pick shy of the previous output.
The draft begins Saturday, July 11 with the first four rounds. It will conclude with Rounds 5-20 the following day. The festivities lead into MLB All-Star Week in Philadelphia.
Here's a look at where three Arkansas baseball players fall in five different MLB Mock Drafts. These mocks were only one round.
The skinny: Helfrick is a consensus first-round selection. He is competing with Georgia's Daniel Jackson to be the second catcher selected on Saturday. MLB Pipeline predicts Helfrick will be the fourth position player to hear his name called, and the Athletics have been tied to the Arkansas catcher in mock drafts throughout the regular season. However, there appears to be growing confidence that Helfrick could fall below that A's pick at No. 8. Helfrick is an elite defensive catcher who hit 18 home runs and posted 55 walks with the exact same number of strikeouts in 2026.
Dietz was considered a first-round pick by most projections until recent updates. MLB Pipeline and D1Baseball both have the 6-foot-6 lefty, who led the SEC in strikeouts, going inside the top-20. The other three outlets have him going outside the opening 40. According to The Athletic, "Dietz and Mississippi right-hander Cade Townsend are slipping a little as teams consider their medicals." The outlet also describes the lefty as a "top-15" talent. Dietz only recorded five outs prior to the 2026 season, missing the bulk of two years due to an elbow injury. However, he put it all together this spring and turned into an All-American.
D1Baseball is the only outlet projecting Wiggins to be a first-round pick. If that comes to fruition, the Hogs can say goodbye to any chance of the righty returning to Fayetteville. Arkansas coaches are still hopeful that Wiggins turns down a professional contract and pitches for the Razorbacks as a redshirt sophomore in 2027. He missed all of 2026 after undergoing Tommy John surgery the previous season. As a freshman, Wiggins showed off a fastball that could easily touch triple digits and a wipeout slider. ESPN, MLB Pipeline and The Athletic all consider Wiggins a top-90 prospect for this summer's draft. The Razorbacks believe he could prove himself as a starter next year and rise into the top-10. A decision looms, but he's rising in the rankings and now getting consideration in the first round. That's momentum in favor of Wiggins forgoing his remaining eligibility.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas basketball 2026 MLB mock draft projections
Continue reading...
The 2026 MLB Draft won't be as fruitful of an opening round for the Razorbacks, but there's an outside chance they come one pick shy of the previous output.
The draft begins Saturday, July 11 with the first four rounds. It will conclude with Rounds 5-20 the following day. The festivities lead into MLB All-Star Week in Philadelphia.
Here's a look at where three Arkansas baseball players fall in five different MLB Mock Drafts. These mocks were only one round.
Arkansas baseball MLB Mock Draft Projections
Ryder Helfrick
- MLB Pipeline: No. 8, Athletics
- The Athletic: No. 18, Cincinnati Reds
- USA TODAY Sports: No. 10, Colorado Rockies
- D1Baseball: No. 10, Colorado Rockies
- ESPN: No. 9, Atlanta Braves
The skinny: Helfrick is a consensus first-round selection. He is competing with Georgia's Daniel Jackson to be the second catcher selected on Saturday. MLB Pipeline predicts Helfrick will be the fourth position player to hear his name called, and the Athletics have been tied to the Arkansas catcher in mock drafts throughout the regular season. However, there appears to be growing confidence that Helfrick could fall below that A's pick at No. 8. Helfrick is an elite defensive catcher who hit 18 home runs and posted 55 walks with the exact same number of strikeouts in 2026.
Hunter Dietz
- MLB Pipeline: No. 20, Boston Red Sox
- The Athletic: N/A
- USA TODAY Sports: N/A
- D1Baseball: No. 16, Texas Rangers
- ESPN: N/A
Dietz was considered a first-round pick by most projections until recent updates. MLB Pipeline and D1Baseball both have the 6-foot-6 lefty, who led the SEC in strikeouts, going inside the top-20. The other three outlets have him going outside the opening 40. According to The Athletic, "Dietz and Mississippi right-hander Cade Townsend are slipping a little as teams consider their medicals." The outlet also describes the lefty as a "top-15" talent. Dietz only recorded five outs prior to the 2026 season, missing the bulk of two years due to an elbow injury. However, he put it all together this spring and turned into an All-American.
Carson Wiggins
- MLB Pipeline: N/A
- The Athletic: N/A
- USA TODAY Sports: N/A
- D1Baseball: No. 36, Philadelphia Phillies
- ESPN: N/A
D1Baseball is the only outlet projecting Wiggins to be a first-round pick. If that comes to fruition, the Hogs can say goodbye to any chance of the righty returning to Fayetteville. Arkansas coaches are still hopeful that Wiggins turns down a professional contract and pitches for the Razorbacks as a redshirt sophomore in 2027. He missed all of 2026 after undergoing Tommy John surgery the previous season. As a freshman, Wiggins showed off a fastball that could easily touch triple digits and a wipeout slider. ESPN, MLB Pipeline and The Athletic all consider Wiggins a top-90 prospect for this summer's draft. The Razorbacks believe he could prove himself as a starter next year and rise into the top-10. A decision looms, but he's rising in the rankings and now getting consideration in the first round. That's momentum in favor of Wiggins forgoing his remaining eligibility.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas basketball 2026 MLB mock draft projections
Continue reading...
