Ryan Helsley facts for kids

Ryan Helsley was born on July 18, 1994. He is an American professional baseball pitcher. He plays for the St. Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Ryan played college baseball at Northeastern State University. The Cardinals picked him in the 2015 MLB draft. He started playing in MLB in 2019. In 2022, he became a top closer for his team. He was even named an All-Star that year. After the 2024 season, he won the NL Reliever of the Year award.

Early Life and College Baseball

Ryan Helsley grew up in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He went to Sequoyah High School. There, he played many sports. He was good at baseball, basketball, and football. He also ran track.

After high school, Ryan was not chosen in the 2013 MLB draft. So, he decided to go to Northeastern State University. He played college baseball for the university team.

College Highlights

In 2014, as a freshman, Ryan had a good year. He won 7 games and lost 4. His ERA (Earned Run Average) was 4.60. He was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year.

As a sophomore, he continued to play well. He had a record of 14 wins and 8 losses. His ERA was 4.06. After this season, the St. Louis Cardinals chose him in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB draft. Ryan then signed with the team.

Starting His Professional Journey

After signing with the Cardinals, Ryan Helsley began his professional career. He started playing for the Johnson City Cardinals in 2015. He had a very good ERA of 2.01 in his first year.

In 2016, he moved up to the Peoria Chiefs. He had an amazing record of 10 wins and 2 losses. His ERA was only 1.61. He was named a Midwest League All-Star.

Moving Up the Ranks

Ryan started 2017 with the Palm Beach Cardinals. He won 8 games and lost 2 with a 2.69 ERA. In July, he was promoted to the Springfield Cardinals. For Springfield, he won 3 games and lost 1. His ERA was 2.67. He also played one game for the Memphis Redbirds. After the season, he was named the Florida State League Pitcher of the Year.

In 2018, Ryan began with Springfield again. He was later promoted to Memphis. However, his season ended early in June due to shoulder tiredness. The Cardinals added him to their main roster after the 2018 season. This meant he was closer to playing in the MLB.

Major League Baseball Debut

Ryan Helsley started the 2019 season back with the Memphis Redbirds. But on April 16, he got the call! He was brought up to the major leagues for the first time.

He made his MLB debut that very night. He pitched for two and a third innings. He even got a hit in his first time batting in the major leagues.

First Seasons in MLB

Ryan had some ups and downs in 2019. He was placed on the injured list in June with a shoulder issue. After he recovered, he returned to Memphis. He was called back up to St. Louis in August. He stayed with the team for the rest of the season.

In 2019, Ryan pitched 36 and two-thirds innings for the Cardinals. He had a 2–0 record with a 2.95 ERA. He also struck out 32 batters. In the playoffs that year, he pitched well. He gave up no runs in over five innings.

The 2020 season was shorter due to the pandemic. Ryan finished with a 1–1 record and one save. In 2021, he played in 51 games. He had a 6–4 record with a 4.56 ERA. He had to stop playing in August because of knee and elbow injuries.

Becoming an All-Star Closer

The 2022 season was a big year for Ryan Helsley. In the first half of the season, he was amazing. He had a 5–1 record with a tiny 0.73 ERA. He also had 54 strikeouts and seven saves. Because of his great performance, he was chosen to play in the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Los Angeles.

On September 16, Ryan pitched an "immaculate inning." This means he struck out three batters on only nine pitches. He struck out Kyle Farmer, Jake Fraley, and Donovan Solano of the Cincinnati Reds.

Ryan finished the 2022 season with a 9–1 record. His ERA was an excellent 1.25. He had 94 strikeouts and 19 saves. In the playoffs, he had some trouble with jammed fingers.

Recent Seasons and Awards

Ryan started the 2023 season in the Cardinals' bullpen. He had a 3.24 ERA in 22 games. However, he was placed on the injured list in June with a forearm strain. He returned to play in September.

In April 2024, Ryan was named the NL Reliever of the Month. He had 10 saves and a 1.69 ERA. He also had 19 strikeouts and only 2 walks. On September 27, 2024, he set a new Cardinals record. He recorded his 49th save of the season.

For the 2024 season, Ryan played in 65 games. He had a 7–4 record with a 2.04 ERA. He also had 49 saves and 79 strikeouts. After the season, he was named the NL Reliever of the Year. This was a big award for him.

Personal Life

Ryan Helsley is a Christian. He is married to his wife, Alex. They got married in July 2021. Their first child, a daughter, was born in August 2022.

Ryan is also a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. He can speak some of the Cherokee language. He grew up as a big fan of the St. Louis Cardinals team.