'One of the better hitters in this league.' Meet Brewster Whitecaps' Ryder Helfrick

BREWSTER — Expectations have always followed Brewster Whitecaps catcher Ryder Helfrick but he’s not listening to the noise, he’s just playing baseball .

“I don’t really like to think about that stuff to be honest,” Helfrick said. “The way I was raised was to just go play and let everybody else talk about you, like you don’t want to talk about yourself, and play the game the way I know I can. At the end of the day, you can control what you can control.”

Coming out of high school, Helfrick was ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 33 overall prospect and the third-ranked catcher in the Class of 2023. He was rated No. 7 overall in his home state of California, where he played for Clayton Valley Charter High School.

When Helfrick arrived on the Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, he was one part of the top freshman class in the NCAA. His coach, Dave Van Horn heaped praise and likened him to MLB All-Star and former Hogs catcher James McCann.

The biggest aid to Helfrick’s game, meanwhile, has actually come away from the field as he draws inspiration and seeks advice from his older brother Leighton, who plays at UC Davis.

“He’s shaped me into who I am today,” Helfrick said. “Growing up, he was always better than me, he was always faster and stronger, so I always wanted to be like him, and I think having somebody who has gone through the same stuff, it’s nice to know he’s one phone call away.”

The two talk every night not only about baseball but anything that needs discussing.

“He will always tell me if I’m doing too much or if I’m not doing enough. It’s nice having those talks and communication with him,” Helfrick said. “He’s my brother, so I can trust him.”

Continuity has also helped Helfrick transition to life at Arkansas, which has allowed him to focus on his development and not what’s being said. He’s caught for Gabe Gaeckle, who also belongs to the 2023 recruitment class, since eighth grade.

As a freshman, Helfrick tallied 15 hits, three home runs, eight RBIs and drew 14 walks. He recorded 154 putouts and 12 assists with a 0.994 fielding percentage from behind the plate.

“It’s amazing to be at Arkansas with all the guys who have gone through that program, and definitely the expectation of that program is to win,” Helfrick said. “To be part of that and to learn the culture, it’s something words can’t describe.”

Whitecaps manager sees special talent

Whitecaps field manager Jamie Shevchik knows a thing or two about seeing special talents come through the program.

“I’ve never seen anybody come out to the Cape and get worse,” he said. “Even if they come out here and struggle, they’re still becoming better baseball players—they’re learning how to deal with some of the adversity. This is a tough summer for a lot of guys but they’re going to get better no matter what.”

Shevchik recalled Florida State’s James Tibbs’ time with the Whitecaps last season and the benefits the league provides players.

“He struggled out here for a big part of the year, but he figured it out,” Shevchik said. “He’s the one that said, ‘I need to stay out here to do that,’ and then he turned into the ACC Player of the Year.”

For Shevchik, Helfrick has all the attributes to follow a similar trajectory, and even eyes big-league talent. He is even at a more advanced stage for players that hit the Cape League fields.

“Freshman hitters usually struggle in general out here,” he said. “He’s probably one of the better hitters in this league.”

Helfrick currently leads the Whitecaps with 16 RBIs and four home runs and is second in hits and runs with 15 and 13, respectively, on a .273 batting average in 14 games. He also has stolen six bases.

“You have all these expectations of the league from what you hear and see on TV or social media but getting here and playing, you’re playing against some of the best guys in the country up and down the roster,” Helfrick said. “It’s amazing because every day there’s going to be good guys coming out of the bullpen and then as a catcher, learning how to pitch to batters—it’s been fun.”

Shevchik is quick to remind that Helfrick, who is just 19, has just finished his freshman year and that his growth over the coming seasons is going to be exponential.

“He is mature, and he is an advanced player beyond what we see out here for his age. He belongs out here,” he said.

Allen Gunn covers high school sports for the Cape Cod Times . You can contact him at agunn@gannett.com and follow him on X at @allentgunn.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: 'One of the better hitters in this league.' Meet Brewster Whitecaps' Ryder Helfrick