Cardinals Mock Draft Brings Explosive Arkansas Catcher to St. Louis

The St. Louis Cardinals have the No. 13 overall pick in the upcoming MLB Draft.

Jun 18, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks catcher Ryder Helfrick (27) points as he circles the bases after hitting a home run against the LSU Tigers during the fourth inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The length of the St. Louis Cardinals' reset period is going to be determined by how the young guys on the roster respond to consistent roles in 2026.

So far, things have been optimistic, to say the least. The Cardinals are 9-8 through 17 games. That may not sound like much, but it is better than the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs, the two expected favorites in the division. It's also a better record than the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, New York Mets and San Francisco Giants, among others.

St. Louis has shown a lot throughout the season. The young roster has shown potential led by Jordan Walker, JJ Wetherholt and Michael McGreevy. The Cardinals look like they have pieces ready to roll in the long term. It doesn't hurt that the club has done a really good job in the draft over the last few years as well. Wetherholt was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Liam Doyle, the Cardinals' No. 2 prospect, was the No. 5 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft and could make an impact as soon as in 2026 or in 2027.

The Cardinals are going to have plenty of opportunities to add firepower in the 2026 MLB Draft as well. St. Louis has the No. 13 overall pick in the first round, a Competitive Balance Round A pick at No. 32, the No. 50 overall pick in the second round, and two Competitive Balance Round B picks at No. 68 and No. 72 thanks to the moves of the offseason. With the season in full swing right now, it's a good time to start getting familiar with draft prospects. For example, Baseball America's Carlos Collazo mocked Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick to St. Louis at No. 13.

Who will the Cardinals take at No. 13?

Feb 6, 2026; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks catcher Ryder Helfrick (27) gets ready for a pitch during the third inning of the Arkansas Razorbacks scrimmage at Baum-Walker Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

"No. 13. Cardinals — Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas," Collazo wrote. "Bonus Pool: $16,612,300. Slot Value: $5,661,300. Helfrick might have cooled off from his start to the season that made him look like a potential top 10 pick, but he shouldn’t last too long after that.

"He has clear plus raw power and has shown an ability to get to that power consistently while cutting his strikeout rate and improving his walk rate. There’s inherent swing-and-miss in this profile—which is maybe not the Cardinals typical M.O.—but it feels more than palatable for a catcher who has a plus arm and can really play defense behind the plate."

Helfrick is a 21-year-old catcher who is slashing .289/.426/.625 with 12 homers and 34 RBIs in just 36 games for Arkansas so far this season. Those are some insane offensive numbers. Last year, he had 15 homers and 38 RBIs in 61 games played. The power cannot be ignored. The Cardinals don't need a catcher right now with the top of the farm system already stacked at the position. But, again, the power cannot be ignored.

While this doesn't seem like the most likely pick right now for the Cardinals, it is just April 15. Things will change between now and the draft and Helfrick is at least a draft prospect to watch.