Ryan Helsley

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #5 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Helsley grew up in rural Tahlequah, Okla., and received his only college scholarship offer from Division II Northeastern State. A star turn in the California Collegiate Summer League pulled scouts to Helsley's games, and the Cardinals drafted him in the fifth round in 2015. Helsley raced up the system until shoulder fatigue sidetracked him in 2018, but he rebounded to make his major league debut in 2019 and became a key part of the Cardinals' bullpen.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: With thick, sturdy legs and an explosive right arm, Helsley overpowers hitters with a fastball that sits 97-98 mph and touches 101 in relief. It features elite spin and is a potentially plus-plus pitch, though it presently plays down because he struggles to locate it. Helsley's plus upper-80s cutter is a strikeout pitch that slides off of barrels with short, late movement. He can land it for strikes or induce chases below the zone. Helsley uses his average power curveball and fringy changeup as a starter, but rarely throws them in relief.
  
  THE FUTURE: Helsley will be stretched out as a starter in spring training. If his health and command aren't up for it, he has a future as an impact, late-inning reliever.
• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #11 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Cardinals made Helsley one of the few active Cherokee Nation members ever drafted when they picked him in the fifth round out of Division II Northeastern State in 2015. Helsley shot up the minors with a 27-9, 2.58 career record and was in position for his MLB debut in 2018, but he was shut down with shoulder fatigue at Triple-A on June 10 and made only one appearance the rest of the year.
  
  Scouting Report: Though a tad undersized at 6-foot-1, Helsley is a pure power pitcher with a strong frame and thick, sturdy legs. His fastball sits 94-95 mph and touches 98 mph, and he uses his heater liberally with an aggressive, strike-throwing mentality. Helsley backs his fastball up with an 80-81 mph power curveball with hard, late drop that draws average-or-better grades, and his upper-80s cutter is another hard offering that projects above-average to plus. His 84-86 mph changeup is his "soft"offering, and is fringe-average but usable. Helsley struggles at times to harness all his power, resulting in inconsistent command and fringe-average control. He struck out 10.5 batters per nine innings in 2018, but also walked 4.1 per nine.
  
  The Future: Helsley has the stuff to start, but with control concerns and now a shoulder issue, the Cardinals prefer him as a reliever. Barring an injury setback, he should make his big league debut in 2019.
• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #8 prospect in 2018
  Helsley grew up in the Cherokee Nation capital of Tahlequah, Okla., and often made the six-hour drive with his family to Busch Stadium to watch the Cardinals play as a child. His dream of playing for his favorite team was realized when the Cardinals drafted him in the fifth round in 2015 out of Division II Northeastern State. Helsley led the organization in wins in 2016 and shot from high Class A Palm Beach to Triple-A Memphis in 2017. Helsley is a power pitcher through and through, with a 93-96 mph fastball that touches 98, a power curveball at 80-81 mph with hard, late drop, and an aggressive strike-throwing mentality. He also has a cutter at 87-89 mph and shows feel for an 84-86 mph changeup that flashes average. Helsley is strong and athletic in his 6-foot-1 frame with thick legs built to last. Like many power pitchers, his fastball command can get erratic at times, and his walk rate has increased every level he has climbed. Helsley has the arsenal to start, but late-inning relief would be an easy transition if his fastball command stalls. Helsley reminds many of Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal. He will continue to develop as a starter at Triple-A in 2018.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida State League #10 prospect in 2017
  The FSL's pitcher of the year, Helsley is a Cherokee Indian out of Oklahoma who has plowed through pro ball so far, breaking out in 2017. He started the season with five no-hit innings against St. Lucie and finished it in Triple-A. Helsley is a power pitcher who regularly hit 98 mph with his fastball in starts, and he sits in the 93-97 range. He locates his fastball well and has an attacking mentality with it, which would suit him well in a bullpen role. However, he repeats his delivery well and has improved his secondary stuff. Helsley's slurvy curveball flashes plus, gets some swings and misses and helped him shackle righthanded hitters (.537 OPS).
• 
  Ranked National League #13 prospect in 2015
  Helsley wasn't a high profile prospect coming out of NCAA Division II Northeastern State (Okla.), but he showed off athleticism, arm strength and potential with his offspeed stuff, prompting the Cardinals to draft him in the fifth round in June. Helsley quickly made an impression on several evaluators in the Appy League. In the spring, he pitched mostly in the low 90s, touching as high as 96 mph, but this summer his fastball peaked at 98 and sat comfortably at 92-95. The pitch has swing-and-miss velocity and life. Helsley's best offspeed pitch this summer was his changeup, which he was comfortable throwing against lefties as well as righties. The pitch has late fade and movement, making it difficult for hitters to time and reverse it with backspin. He is working on his breaking ball, which will be important for his development as a starter.

• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Helsley grew up in rural Tahlequah, Okla., and received his only college scholarship offer from Division II Northeastern State. A star turn in the California Collegiate Summer League pulled scouts to Helsley’s games, and the Cardinals drafted him in the fifth round in 2015. Helsley raced up the system until shoulder fatigue sidetracked him in 2018, but he rebounded to make his major league debut in 2019 and became a key part of the Cardinals’ bullpen.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: With thick, sturdy legs and an explosive right arm, Helsley overpowers hitters with a fastball that sits 97-98 mph and touches 101 in relief. It features elite spin and is a potentially plus-plus pitch, though it presently plays down because he struggles to locate it. Helsley’s plus upper-80s cutter is a strikeout pitch that slides off of barrels with short, late movement. He can land it for strikes or induce chases below the zone. Helsley uses his average power curveball and fringy changeup as a starter, but rarely throws them in relief.
  
  THE FUTURE: Helsley will be stretched out as a starter in spring training. If his health and command aren’t up for it, he has a future as an impact, late-inning reliever.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Helsley grew up in rural Tahlequah, Okla., and received his only college scholarship offer from Division II Northeastern State. A star turn in the California Collegiate Summer League pulled scouts to Helsley's games, and the Cardinals drafted him in the fifth round in 2015. Helsley raced up the system until shoulder fatigue sidetracked him in 2018, but he rebounded to make his major league debut in 2019 and became a key part of the Cardinals' bullpen.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: With thick, sturdy legs and an explosive right arm, Helsley overpowers hitters with a fastball that sits 97-98 mph and touches 101 in relief. It features elite spin and is a potentially plus-plus pitch, though it presently plays down because he struggles to locate it. Helsley's plus upper-80s cutter is a strikeout pitch that slides off of barrels with short, late movement. He can land it for strikes or induce chases below the zone. Helsley uses his average power curveball and fringy changeup as a starter, but rarely throws them in relief.
  
  THE FUTURE: Helsley will be stretched out as a starter in spring training. If his health and command aren't up for it, he has a future as an impact, late-inning reliever.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Helsley continued to show power stuff with a 95-98 mph fastball before going on the disabled list in early June with shoulder fatigue. Both his cutter and curveball flashed above-average to plus, helping elevate his stock to that of a potential mid-rotation starter. Controlling his power arsenal remains a challenge at times for Helsley, and will be a focal point of his development when he returns.