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Rangers projected to bolster future core with elite Arkansas backstop originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Texas Rangers have made the most of their first-round picks over the years. While they have preferred to take college talent lately, they won't scoff at the idea of taking a high school player if they feel he fits the mold and is the best available.
Wyatt Langford was the club's first-round pick back in 2023, and he has already been impressive in MLB. And Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter, the two first-round picks in 2021 and 2022, have also been impressive.
This year, the Rangers will be selecting 16th overall. And while they will miss out on some elite talent, they will still have plenty of game-changers to pick from when their time comes.
MORE: Rangers fleeced Mets in Brandon Nimmo trade amid .945 OPS start
Rangers projected to bolster future core with elite Arkansas backstop
This year, there is a healthy number of college bats who will hear their name called in the first round. UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is the projected No. 1, and Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey is projected No. 2, but that doesn't mean there aren't other great catchers in this class.
Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick is having a great season this year, and according to Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter, he could be the second catcher coming off the board at 16.
"Entering the spring, the 2026 catcher class was Vahn and everyone else, but Helfrick has solidified his status as the No. 2 backstop. He has a 1.051 OPS with 12 home runs and 34 RBI in 36 games this spring. He has also made significant strides in both his walk rate and strikeout rate while showing the defensive cops to be a quality backstop."
Helfrick is a great pitch caller and is a great receiver and framer while having the arm to throw out runners trying to swipe bags. He also has enough strength and bat speed to generate great power, especially to the pull side.
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- Angels projected to take elite SEC power hitter in latest mock draft
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