6 Cougars Named 2017 Midwest League All-Stars

6 Cougars Named 2017 Midwest League All-Stars

The Midwest League has announced the rosters for the 2017 Midwest League All-Star Game, which will be held at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, June 20, in Midland, MI. Six Cougars players have been selected to represent the Western Division: outfielders Marcus Wilson and Anfernee Grier as well as pitchers Jon Duplantier, Sam McWilliams, Tommy Eveld and Tyler Mark. Wilson was selected as a starting outfielder for the Western Division.

In addition to his All-Star nod, Duplantier earned both Arizona Diamondbacks Minor League Pitcher of the Month as well as Minor League Baseball Player of the Month for the Midwest League. He was dominant throughout the month of May, going 4-0 with a 0.79 ERA in six starts.

Duplantier allowed just one unearned run over his last five starts, scattering 17 hits over 34 innings of work. He held his opponents to a .149 batting average and his 34 strikeouts were third-best in the league.

Wilson, who was named the D-backs Minor League player of the Month for April, leads the Cougars in batting average (.308), runs (31), home runs (7) and RBI (30). Grier sits second overall on the team with a .284 batting average and 28 runs while leading the Cougars with 13 stolen bases.

Eveld leads the league with 12 saves while McWilliams sits first overall for the Cougars with seven wins, third in strikeouts (44) and a 2.61 ERA with a WHIP of 0.95. Mark has posted a record of 3-1 thus far including three saves and a 0.94 WHIP.

About the Kane County Cougars

The Cougars, Class-A Minor League affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, have been at the forefront of family-friendly entertainment since 1991. In 2015, the franchise became the first Class-A team in Minor League Baseball history to welcome 11 million fans through the gates. A total of 154 former Cougars have reached the Major Leagues including Miguel Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez and Kyle Schwarber.