Guess the Prospect!

Guess the Prospect!

I was signed as an undrafted free agent in the early 1970s. I emerged as a prospect quickly, hitting .270 with 10 homers in 61 games in short-season ball, then hit .261 with 26 homers in my first full campaign in A-ball. I was 20 at the time. My team skipped me past advanced A, sticking me directly in Double-A at the age of 21. That didn't go well. . .I hit .267 but hit just 8 homers.

I seemed to stall at that point, putting in mediocre numbers again in Double-A and then in Triple-A, combining for only 10 homers total in the next two seasons. Repeating Triple-A at the age of 24, I rebounded somewhat, hitting 14 homers and suddenly showing speed, swiping 25 bases. I had a similar season at age 25, and yet again at age 26, when I hit .282 with 13 homers and 26 steals in Triple-A. Although my organization was rather weak and in need of help, I received only a brief cup-of-coffee at age 25.

My chance finally came at age 27, when I played 85 games in the majors, though I hit only .264 with three homers. But at age 28, I had my breakout season, slugging 28 homers and stealing 13 bases while hitting .289.

I played regularly in the majors for the next several years, finally ending my career as a platoon player at the age of 36. Although I was not a superstar, I had a solid career, making two All-Star teams. I'm a good example of a tools player who turned his athleticism into baseball skills, through hard work.

Who Am I?