Nation-Leading Three First-Rounders Highlight Razorbacks’ Day One of MLB Draft

PHILADELPHIA – A nation-leading five Razorbacks, including a nation-best three first-round draftees, heard their names called during the first day of the 2026 MLB Draft, which featured the first four rounds (135 picks), on Saturday, July 11.

Catcher Ryder Helfrick was taken No. 15 overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks, right-handed pitcher Carson Wiggins was selected No. 27 overall by the New York Mets and left-handed pitcher Hunter Dietz was drafted No. 35 overall by the New York Yankees to round out Arkansas’ nation-leading haul of first-rounders. Right-handed pitcher Gabe Gaeckle was taken No. 73 overall by the Athletics in the Competitive Balance Round B before infielder Camden Kozeal was selected No. 87 overall by the Miami Marlins in the third round, increasing the Hogs’ draftee total to a nation-best five players.

With its three first-rounders, Arkansas, which has now had at least one player selected in each of the past 52 MLB drafts since 1975, became the first program in draft history with seven first-rounders over a two-draft span (2025-26). Its five total draft selections lead the nation, ahead of Georgia Tech (4), North Carolina (4), Texas A&M (4) and UCLA (4).

Entering Saturday, 14 players in Razorback history had been selected in the first round of the MLB draft, including 11 in the Dave Van Horn era. Helfrick, Wiggins and Dietz, the 279th, 280th and 281st draft selections in program history and 156th, 157th and 158th draft picks of the Van Horn era, became the 15th, 16th and 17th Hogs taken in the first round.

Since Nate Thompson’s first season as hitting coach and recruiting coordinator in 2018, Arkansas has had 30 hitters selected in the MLB draft, including four first-rounders. Meanwhile, since Matt Hobbs’ first season as pitching coach in 2019, Arkansas has had 28 pitchers chosen in the MLB draft, including five first-rounders. Additionally, Arkansas became only the 11th college program in history with at least one pitcher drafted in the first round in three consecutive years.

Helfrick became the first Arkansas catcher ever selected in the first round of the MLB draft when the Diamondbacks called his name. The Hogs’ All-America and SEC All-Defensive catcher, Helfrick graded out as college baseball’s best defender this past season, leading the nation in defensive runs saved (27.00), framing runs saved (24.49), and defensive wins above replacement (1.99). Helfrick, who finished as a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, Dick Howser Trophy and Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award, slashed .283/.417/.562 with 18 home runs and 53 RBI while leading the Hogs in walks with 55, fourth on the program’s single-season top 10 list, across 62 games on the year.

Wiggins missed the entire season as he recovered from an elbow injury that ended his promising rookie campaign in 2025. As a true freshman, Wiggins made 14 relief appearances on the mound for the Razorbacks and posted a 1-1 record with a 3.21 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 14.0 innings of work. The flame-throwing right-hander finished with three saves, good for second most on the team, while limiting opposing hitters to a .152 batting average on the year.

Dietz blossomed into Arkansas’ ace and one of the top pitchers in college baseball after injury-plagued seasons as a true freshman and redshirt freshman in 2024 and 2025, respectively. The left-hander, who finished as a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy, completed the campaign with a 7-4 record, 3.57 ERA and a team-leading 131 strikeouts, including an SEC-best 47 strikeouts looking, in 85.2 innings over 16 starts on the mound for the Hogs. Dietz, an All-American and All-SEC honoree from the league’s 16 head coaches, turned in an SEC-leading nine quality starts on the year and was the first SEC pitcher to eclipse the 100-strikeout mark for the season. With his 131 strikeouts, the left-hander finished his breakout year fourth on the program’s single-season top 10 list for strikeouts by a pitcher.

Gaeckle became the 282nd draft selection in program history and 159th draft pick of the Van Horn era when he was selected by the Athletics. The right-hander made 20 appearances, including 12 starts, on the mound this past season, finishing 6-3 with a 4.14 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 71.2 innings. The first Hog to make Opening Day starts on the mound in consecutive seasons since LHP Hagen Smith, Gaeckle returned to the bullpen and emerged in relief against Texas on May 22 in the SEC Tournament, tossing a career long-matching six shutout innings with a season high-tying nine strikeouts to earn a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Gaeckle, who entered the campaign as a preseason All-American by Baseball America and Perfect Game, came into the year on the preseason watch lists for the Golden Spikes Award, Baseball America College Pitcher of the Year Award and College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year Award.

Kozeal, meanwhile, became the 283rd draft selection in program history and 160th draft pick of the Van Horn era when he was scooped up by the Marlins. The infielder slashed a team-leading .318/.410/.653 with 20 home runs and 71 RBI in 62 games, pacing the Razorbacks in nearly every major offensive category: batting average (.318), runs scored (59), hits (78), doubles (18), triples (2), homers (20), RBI (71), total bases (160), slugging percentage (.653), multi-hit games (24) and multi-RBI games (21). With his 20 home runs, Kozeal, who earned All-America honors, tied Chad Spanberger (20 in 2017), Andrew Benintendi (20 in 2015) and Rodney Nye (20 in 1999) for fourth most in a season by a Hog. His 40 extra-base hits tied for seventh on the program’s single-season top 10 list and his 71 RBI tied for eighth on the program’s single-season top 10 list while his 160 total bases finished good for ninth on the program’s single-season top 10 list.

The MLB draft concludes tomorrow with Rounds 5-20 slated to begin at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, July 12, on MLB.com.

First-Round Razorbacks (17)
1981 – OF Kevin McReynolds – 6th overall, San Diego Padres
1986 – INF Jeff King – 1st overall, Pittsburgh Pirates
1999 – RHP Dave Walling – 27th overall, New York Yankees
2007 – LHP Nick Schmidt – 23rd overall, San Diego Padres
2008 – INF Logan Forsythe – 46th overall, San Diego Padres
2010 – INF Zack Cox – 25th overall, St. Louis Cardinals
2013 – RHP Ryne Stanek – 29th overall, Tampa Bay Rays
2015 – OF Andrew Benintendi – 7th overall, Boston Red Sox
2020 – OF Heston Kjerstad – 2nd overall, Baltimore Orioles
2024 – LHP Hagen Smith – 5th overall, Chicago White Sox
2025 – RHP Gage Wood – 26th overall, Philadelphia Phillies
2025 – INF Wehiwa Aloy – 31st overall, Baltimore Orioles
2025 – LHP Zach Root – 40th overall, Los Angeles Dodgers
2025 – OF Charles Davalan – 41st overall, Los Angeles Dodgers
2026 – C Ryder Helfrick – 15th overall, Arizona Diamondbacks
2026 – RHP Carson Wiggins – 27th overall, New York Mets
2026 – LHP Hunter Dietz – 35th overall, New York Yankees

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