Diamondbacks sign top MLB Draft picks Ryder Helfrick, Blake Bryant

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks signed 20 out of 21 members of their 2026 MLB Draft class, including first-round pick Ryder Helfrick, the club announced on Monday.

Arizona selected Helfrick, a catcher out of Arkansas, with the No. 15 overall pick and signed him for $5,241,000, which is the full slot value, according to MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis.

Helfrick was considered a top-tier defensive catcher in the draft and an improved hitter over the past three years with the Razorbacks. He hit a career-high 18 home runs in 2026.

The D-backs also signed prep pitcher Blake Bryant (No. 31) for $2.75 million, Georgia Tech shortstop Carson Kerce (No. 53) for $1.9 million and Florida State outfielder Brayden Dowd (No. 88) for for $775,000, Callis reported.

Kerce signed for just above the slot value ($1.84 million), while Arizona’s other Day 1 picks signed for below slot value.

Arizona went into the draft with a bonus pool of $13,603,100, and each pick in the first 10 rounds comes with an assigned slot value. By saving money in the top 10 rounds, teams can spend more on players they select later, such as high schoolers deciding whether to go pro or to college.

Arizona took three players right out of high school, including infielder Cody Boshell in the 11th round, who signed a $750,000 deal, according to AZCentral.com’s Nick Piecoro.

The lone draftee the Diamondbacks have not announced the signing of is 17th-rounder Rylan Alaniz, an infielder out of Trinity High School (Texas). 

Diamondbacks 2026 draft signees

• • C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas (15)
  • RHP Blake Bryant, Citizens Christian Academy (31)
  • INF Carson Kerce, Georgia Tech (53)
  • OF Brayden Dowd, Florida State (88)
  • RHP Josh McDevitt, Missouri (116)
  • RHP LJ Mercurius, Oklahoma (148)
  • LHP Micah Worley, Stony Brook (177)
  • RHP Carson Turnquist, Cal Poly (206)
  • OF Paul Schoenfeld, West Virginia (236)
  • INF Chris Katz, Mercer (266)
  • RHP Mason Steele, Alabama-Birmingham (296)
  • INF Cody Boshell, Bishop John J. Snyder High School (326)
  • LHP Caleb Jameson, Georgia (356)
  • INF Jack Spanier, Minnesota (386)
  • RHP Brannon Westmoreland, Arkansas at Little Rock (416)
  • RHP Andrew Evans, Southern Illinois (446)
  • RHP Joseph Jasso, Cal State Fullerton (476)
  • OF Jake Duer, Texas A&M (536)
  • C Weber Neels, Minnesota (566)
  • RHP Andrew Wertz, Northeastern (596)

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