Three Cougars players named to Midwest League all-star team

Three Kane County Cougars players were selected to the Midwest League's All-Star game.

Cougars outfielders Jorge Bonifacio and Lane Adams and pitcher Nick Graffeo will all participate in the June 19 baseball game to be played on their home field at Fifth-Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva. Bonifacio and Lane were named as starters.

As the host team, Cougars manager Brian Buchanan and his staff will make up the Western Division team's field staff, and the Lansing Lugnuts staff will do the same for the Eastern Division squad.

Bonifacio leads the league in hits with 71 and is seventh in batting average at .316. The Kansas City Royals signed the 19-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic as an undrafted free agent in 2009.

Adams is right behind Bonificaio with 69 hits — third in the league — and is fifth in batting average at .319. He was a 13th-round draft pick for the Royals out of Red Oak High School (Okla.) in 2009.

Cougars closer Graffeo has 8 saves in 18 games this season. The Royals selected the former Alabama-Birmingham pitcher in the 38th round of the 2010 draft.

The Peoria Chiefs, the Chicago Cubs affiliate, will send catcher Rafael Lopez, first baseman Paul Hoilman, second baseman Zeke DeVoss and pitcher Kyler Burke to Geneva as members of the Western Division team. Lopez and Hoilman were named as starters.

Team managers nominate and select players to populate the all-star rosters.

The 48th annual Midwest League All-Star game will be held June 19. The game has previously featured future MLB stars such as Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez and Prince Fielder.