By Craig Lynch –
Alec Thomas and Ryan Weiss are first-year players for the 2019 Kane County Cougars Class A minor league baseball team based in Geneva.
Thomas was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second round. He attended Chicago’s Mount Carmel High School.
“My dad works in strength and conditioning for the White Sox,” Thomas said.
He played in Mezoula (Mont.) last Summer. “Everyone was really friendly,” said Thomas. “Everyone knows each other.”
Thomas hit his first home run of the season Tuesday, April 16.
“I hope there will be a lot more,” said Thomas who attended Mark Buhrle’s perfect game for the Chicago White Sox in 2009.
• Weis is a graduate of South Elgin High School. In 2014 he pitched for the Storm which finished in third place in the State tournament.
“It was a lot of fun playing that season,” said Weiss. The Storm fell to St. Rita in the semifinals.
Weiss played three years of college baseball for Wright State University in Dayton Ohio. The Raiders qualified for the NCAA tournament.
“Making the tournament was a thrill,” said Weiss. “The whole team was excited to play.”
The Cougars had been hovering around .500. “I think we are still trying to figure things out as a team,” said Weiss.
Thomas agreed and said, “We have to put together both our hitting and pitching.”
Through Sunday the Cougars had an 11-7 record for second place in eight-team Western Division of the Midwest League. The Cougars are in their fifth year of affiliation with Arizona.
Weiss pitched Monday for five innings to take the victory, 4-1, at Burlington. The Cougars pulled to within one game of first-place Burlington.