Let's stay with the Houston Cavaliers and take a closer look at their starting left fielder Doug Helmick, who has emerged as one of the biggest stars on the team and their clean-up hitter.
Helmick was originally drafted in 1967 with the 11th overall pick of the draft out of Long Beach State by the Brooklyn Aces. He was rated 18th among prospects entering the 1968 season but over time in the minors saw his stock gradually fall. Although he had a really good 1971 season with the AAA Tampa Thieves, he ended up being stuck there for most of the next two seasons before finally getting called up to Brooklyn in September of 1973. Having been unimpressive in 139 plate appearances for the Aces in 1974 he found himself unprotected when the expansion draft came around in the off-season.
And sure enough Houston picked him in the 3rd round of the expansion draft. It was the change of scenery Helmick needed and although he led the SJL in strikeouts in 1975 with 121, he also clubbed 27 homers and drove in 98 while putting up 4.9 WAR. While he took a bit of step backwards in 1976 (it was a bad year for power hitters) he is off to a good start in 1977 and helping his team to compete heading into July. For a clean-up hitter he also has great speed and he is part of a tremendous defensive outfield. A little more than a month away from his 29th birthday, Helmick has a chance to remain a Cavalier long enough to see this expansion club reach the top of the pile in the SJL.