Mizzou Baseball in the Minors

■ Nicholas knows how to lead (milb.com)

If he were not playing baseball, Spokane Indians catcher Brett Nicholas said he would pursue a career as a firefighter. So it's certainly fitting that he's been extending a helping hand to his teammates all season.

Nicholas has built this season on lessons he learned last year, when he struggled with his transition from college to the pros. His less-than-average numbers slowly crept into his head, setting off a psychological war within himself that took a toll on his entire season. A year later, the 23-year-old is not only off to a great start with the Indians, but has also taken on a mentor role to ensure his teammates don't fall into the same trap.

"Last year we had a lot of first-year guys . . .