Image – Whole Hog Sports
Image – Arkansas Razorbacks Baseball on X
PHILADELPHIA – A program-record 12 Arkansas players were selected at the 2026 MLB Draft, July 11-12 in Philadelphia, overcoming the Razorbacks’ previous record of 11, which was set a year ago.
Three Arkansas players were selected in Saturday’s first round. Junior catcher Ryder Helfrick was selected with the No. 15 overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Helfrick is the highest-drafted catcher in program history and the ninth Razorback hitter to be selected in the first round of the draft.
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).
Sophomore right-hander Carson Wiggins was chosen with the No. 27 overall pick by the New York Mets. Redshirt sophomore left-hander Hunter Dietz was selected eight picks later by a team from the same state, the New York Yankees with the No. 35 overall pick. Wiggins and Dietz became the 16th and 17th first-round selections in program history, as well as the seventh and eighth pitchers from the program to be taken in the first round. Arkansas now had seven first round selections the last two years after three selected in the top 40 picks in 2026 picks.
Junior right-hander Gabe Gaeckle was selected by the Oakland Athletics with the No. 73 overall pick while the Miami Marlins picked junior infielder Camden Kozeal 15 picks later at No. 87 overall.
On day two, five more Razorbacks were selected. In the fifth round, the Kansas City Royals selected right-hander Ethan McElvain with the 151st pick. Four rounds later, redshirt junior outfielder Damian Ruiz was picked by the Cincinnati Reds with the 272nd pick. In the 11th round, the New York Mets selected their second Arkansas player, junior outfielder Kuhio Aloy with the No. 330 selection. Junior left-hander Colin Fisher was picked by the San Francisco Giants in the 13th round, at No. 388 overall.
A round later, the Los Angeles Angels selected junior left-hander Tate McGuire at No. 409 overall. In the 17th round, redshirt junior right-hander Cooper Dossett was the third Razorback selected by the New York Mets with the No. 510 overall pick in the 17th round. The final Arkansas player picked was senior left-hander Parker Coil, in the 20th round at No. 603 overall.
Since Nate Thompson took over as hitting coach and recruiting coordinator in 2018, Arkansas has produced a nation-leading 76 MLB Draft picks, split between 42 pitchers and 32 position players.
Since Matt Hobbs’ arrival as pitching coach in 2019, 38 Razorback pitchers have been drafted, with 26 of them coming in the first 10 rounds. With eight pitchers taken in this year’s draft, Arkansas set a new program high for most pitchers selected in a single draft, breaking the previous mark of seven achieved in 2013 (over 40 rounds) and matched in 2025 (over 20 rounds).
This year’s MLB draft also was the fifth time in program history that Arkansas had double-digit players selected: 1985 (10 in 39 rounds), 2013 (11 in 40 rounds), 2018 (11 in 40 rounds), 2025 (11 in 20 rounds) and 2026 (12 in 20 rounds).
None of Arkansas’ high school signees were selected in the 2026 MLB Draft. The deadline for drafted players to sign, except for players who have exhausted college eligibility, is 4 p.m. CT Monday, July 27.
MLB Draft Statistics
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
Arkansas’ 2026 MLB Draftees (12)
C Ryder Helfrick – Arizona Diamondbacks, 1st round (No. 15 overall)
RHP Carson Wiggins – New York Mets, 1st round (No. 27 overall)
LHP Hunter Dietz – New York Yankees, 1st round (No. 35 overall)
RHP Gabe Gaeckle – Athletics, CB-B (No. 73 overall)
INF Camden Kozeal – Miami Marlins, 3rd round (No. 87 overall)
LHP Ethan McElvain – Kansas City Royals, 5th round (No. 151 overall)
OF Damian Ruiz – Cincinnati Reds, 9th round (No. 272 overall)
OF Kuhio Aloy – New York Mets, 11th round (No. 330 overall)
LHP Colin Fisher – San Francisco Giants, 13th round (No. 388 overall)
RHP Tate McGuire – Los Angeles Angels, 14th round (No. 409 overall)
RHP Cooper Dossett – New York Mets, 17th round (No. 510 overall)
LHP Parker Coil – Cleveland Guardians, 20th round (No. 603 overall)
By The Numbers
4 – program record for most first-round selections in an MLB draft (2025)
6 – program record for most position players selected in an MLB draft (1985)
7 – MLB draft record for most first-round selections in a two-year span (2025-26)
8 – program record for most pitchers selected in an MLB draft (2026)
12 – program record for most total selections in an MLB draft (2026)
17 – all-time Razorbacks selected in the first round of the MLB draft
290 – all-time draft selections in Razorback history
Draft Notes
● Since 1975, Arkansas has had at least one player selected in each of the past 52 MLB drafts.
● Since 2018, no school in the country has more overall draft selections than Arkansas (76).
● Arkansas has had double-digit players selected in a single draft on five occasions: 1985 (10), 2013 (11), 2018 (11), 2025 (11), 2026 (12).
● Since Matt Hobbs’ first season as pitching coach in 2019, Arkansas has had 38 pitchers selected in the MLB draft, including 26 pitchers taken in the first 10 rounds.
● Since Nate Thompson’s first season as hitting coach and recruiting coordinator in 2018, Arkansas has had 32 position players selected in the MLB draft, including 27 position players taken in the first 10 rounds.
Statistics are according to arkansasrazorbacks.com.
For more news, analysis, and coverage, visit https://carterbhuffsports.com, follow @cbhsports_ on X and Instagram, and subscribe to cbhsports on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@cbhsports_.
