The Kane County Cougars have released a list of all 411 players to make it to Major League Baseball (MLB) in franchise history. The announcement followed the unveiling of the Cougars new enhanced logo with the addition of “Est. 1888” to honor the franchise’s 111-year history.
This season will begin May 18 for the Cougars, who will open at home in Geneva at Northwestern Medicine Field against the Chicago Dogs of Rosemont in a new conference, the American Association, in the six-team North Division, an unafilliated league.
“It is an honor to celebrate how this franchise has played a part in Major League Baseball history,” said Cougars owner and president, Dr. Bob Froehlich.
Kane County is the third stop in franchise history. The first was in Decatur, Ill, followed by Wausau, Wis., and Kane County in 1991.
In the 64 years the franchise was in Decatur, 165 players made it to the MLB level. By position, 74 pitchers and 17 shortstops lead the list. The top three MLB teams sending players from Decatur to the MLB were the Giants, New York/San Francisco, with 35 players; the St. Louis Cardinals with 23 players; and the Chicago Cubs with 14 players.
The 1938 team sent eight players to the MLB level, the most of any year in Decatur.
Carl Hubbell played on the 1927 team and was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947. Hubbell was the only player from the franchise to make it to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The team was in Wausau, Wis. for 16 years, prior to moving to Kane County, and sent 63 players to MLB. By position, 29 pitchers and 11 catchers lead the list. The top three MLB teams that brought players from Wausau to the MLB were the Seattle Mariners with 23 players, the New York Mets with 12 players, and the Baltimore Orioles with six players. The 1990 team sent nine players to the MLB level, the most of any year in Wausau.
The Kane County Cougars have had 187 players make it to MLB. By position, 106 pitchers and 14 catchers top the list. The top three MLB teams that brought players from Kane County to the MLB were the Miami/Florida Marlins with 51, the Oakland Athletics with 32, and the Chicago Cubs with 16.
Overall, 411 players made it to MLB. By position, the top four were pitchers, 206; catchers, 38; shortstops, 36; and center fielders, 33.
By MLB, the top six teams to promote players were the Marlins with 51; Athletics (also known as the Philadelphia Athletics, 39; the Giants , 35; the Cubs, 30; the Mariners, 29; the Cardinals, 25. Out of all the current 30 MLB franchises, the New York Yankees and the Colorado Rockies are the only teams that haven’t promoted a player from in the 111-year history of the franchise.
The most former players ever moved up to the MLB in one year was 15 in 2016. The players moved to the MLB in 2016 were Timothy Macgill Melville, Marco Antonio Hernandez, Andrew Austin Triggs, Zachary Aaron “Zac” Curtis, Brett William Eibner, Reinaldo Albert Almora, Jr., Willson Contreras, Gerardo Perez Concepion, Jaimer Candelario, Brooks Casey Pounders, Steven Ryland Hathaway, Felix Ricardo Pena, Robert John “Rob” Zastryzny, Juan Jose Graterol and Daniel Vogelbach.
Other recognizable names include David Bote, and Kevin Millar.
—Kane County Cougars