MWL1 Kane County Cougars

Napoleon Dynamite: Chicago Prep Star Comes Home To Cougars

Published on May 20, 2008 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Kane County Cougars News Release


GENEVA, IL - The Kane County Cougars, in conjunction with the Oakland Athletics, have announced that catcher Dusty Napoleon has joined the Cougars from extended spring training. To make room for Napoleon on the team's active roster, the Cougars have placed catcher Matt Smith on the disabled list with a right shoulder injury, retroactive to Saturday, May 17. Napoleon has arrived in Burlington, Iowa to meet the Cougars as the squad continues its current road trip against the Burlington Bees.

Napoleon's debut with the Cougars will serve as a homecoming for the 22-year old, who is a Wilmette native and attended suburban New Trier High School. As a prep athlete, Napoleon was named 2004 Chicago Sun-Times Athlete of the Year, as well as a first team all-state selection by both the Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune. On the football field, Napoleon was all-state in football as a quarterback and broke the school career records for touchdown passes and passing yards.

Napoleon attended the University of Iowa, hitting .354 with 56 RBIs in his final collegiate season and was drafted by the A's in the 19th round of the June 2007 draft. Playing in 42 games for Short-A Vancouver last season, Napoleon batted .235 with one home run and 16 RBIs.

Smith moves to the disabled list, playing in 18 games for the Cougars since being sent to Kane County from High-A Stockton on April 19. A 14th round draft selection in 2007, Smith also played in 38 games for the Cougars last season.

The Cougars (27-14), who are currently 2.5 games behind Clinton for first place in the Midwest League's Western Division, play a pair of seven-inning contests against the Burlington Bees. The first game of the doubleheader begins at 6 p.m. as Jamie Richmond (4-2, 3.07 ERA) takes the bump. In the evening's second contest, Cougars hurler Brent Lysander will make his Kane County debut.

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Midwest League Stories from May 20, 2008


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