Wild Things Add Former St. Louis Cardinals Pitching Prospect, Cranberry Township Native Kyle Helisek
April 23, 2015 - Frontier League (FL)
Washington Wild Things News Release
Kyle Helisek with the Palm Beach Cardinals
(Washington Wild Things)
Washington, PA-The Washington Wild Things announced they have added former St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect and Cranberry Township native Kyle Helisek to their 2015 spring training roster.
Helisek, a graduate of Seneca Valley High School, will return to Western Pennsylvania after a three-year stint in the St. Louis Cardinals system. The southpaw was drafted by the Cardinals in the 30th round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft and spent parts of three seasons with the Batavia Muckdogs, Peoria Chiefs and the Palm Beach Cardinals. Overall, he pitched in 60 games, made 56 starts and posted a career 18-16 record with a 3.61 ERA. In 306 1/3 innings, he registered 201 strikeouts and established a 1.56 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Last season, Helisek appeared in just five games with the Chiefs before he was promoted to Palm Beach. Once in Palm Beach, Helisek got off to a hot start. In his first 11 starts, he went 4-2 with a 2.59 ERA in 62 2/3 innings earning him a spot in the 2014 Florida State League All-Star Game. At the conclusion of his 2014 campaign, Helisek owned a 5-6 record with a 3.80 ERA and tallied 56 strikeouts in 97 innings.
Helisek spent the entire 2013 season with Peoria. As a member of the Chiefs rotation, he started 23 games and had a 7-7 record with a 3.13 ERA in 129 1/3 innings of work. As a rookie with Batavia in 2012, he appeared in 12 games and made 10 starts. The former Muckdog compiled a 4-2 record with a 3.42 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings.
In his four-year collegiate career at Villanova University, Helisek flourished as one of the most dominant pitchers in school history. He became the first Villanova player to ever be drafted by St. Louis and ranks sixth in the program in innings pitched. During his time as a Wildcat, he pitched in 55 games, made 46 starts and worked 270 1/3 innings. His career totals included two complete games, 11 wins, one save and 148 strikeouts.
The Wild Things open their 14th season in the Frontier League against the Schaumburg Boomers on Friday, May 15th at 7:05 p.m. 2015 Season Ticket packages and group outings are on sale now. Individual tickets for the 2015 season will go on sale Monday, April 6 at 9:00 a.m. For more information on tickets, group outings and/or partnership opportunities, call the CONSOL Energy Park front office at 724-250-9555.
Images from this story
 Kyle Helisek with the Palm Beach Cardinals |
Frontier League Stories from April 23, 2015
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- Wild Things Add Former St. Louis Cardinals Pitching Prospect, Cranberry Township Native Kyle Helisek - Washington Wild Things
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