Helfrick on Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List
CARY, N.C. – Arkansas’ Ryder Helfrick has been named to the midseason watch list for the Golden Spikes Award, presented annually by USA Baseball to the best amateur baseball player in the country.
The midseason list features 45 of the nation’s top players from college and high school baseball. The Golden Spikes Award Advisory Board will continue maintaining a rolling list of athletes throughout the season, allowing players to play themselves into consideration for the award before the announcement of the semifinalists on May 14.
Helfrick, named a midseason All-American by Perfect Game and landed on the midseason watch list for the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award, is slashing .290/.453/.600 with a team-leading nine home runs and 26 RBI through 29 games. He leads the Razorbacks in walks (33) and sacrifice flies (4), and is 5-for-6 in stolen base attempts.
Defensively, the Discovery Bay, Calif., has made all 29 of his starts behind the plate, owning a .991 fielding percentage with just three errors in 322 total chances while also throwing out 5-of-24 attempted base stealers (20.8 percent).
Three Razorbacks – outfielder Andrew Benintendi (2015), pitcher Kevin Kopps (2021) and infielder Wehiwa Aloy (2025) – have won the Golden Spikes Award. Arkansas (3) is one of six schools in the country, along with Florida State (4), Arizona State (3), Cal State Fullerton (3), LSU (2) and San Diego State (2), with multiple Golden Spikes Award winners.
Following the 25-player semifinalist announcement, three finalists will be revealed on June 10, and then the winner will be named on June 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET during a presentation on MLB Network. Following the semifinalist announcement, fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com to help determine the finalists and winner.
Arkansas on Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List: 12 selections, 10 players
2012: RHP Ryne Stanek (So.)
2013: RHP Barrett Astin (Jr.), RHP Ryne Stanek (Jr.)
2014: INF Brian Anderson (Jr.)
2017: RHP Blaine Knight (So.)
2018: RHP Blaine Knight (Jr.)
2019: RHP Isaiah Campbell (R-Jr.)
2022: RHP Connor Noland (Sr.)
2023: LHP Hunter Hollan (Jr.)
2024: LHP Hagen Smith (Jr.)
2025: INF Wehiwa Aloy (Jr.)
2026: C Ryder Helfrick (Jr.)
For complete coverage of Arkansas baseball, follow the Hogs on Twitter (@RazorbackBSB), Instagram (@RazorbackBSB) and Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Baseball).
