Four Bucks Players Chosen For Northwoods League All-Star Game

Four players from the Great Plains East Subdivision first-half champion Waterloo Bucks have been selected for the 2019 Northwoods League All-Star Game.

First baseman Patrick Ferguson, two-way player Dylan Phillips, catcher Alonza Rubalcaba and pitcher Jimmy Smiley will be representing the Great Plains East Subdivision first-half champions when the NWL's 25th annual Mid-Summer Classic is played at Riverfront Stadium in Waterloo later this month.

Ferguson, a junior from Kent State University, leads the Great Plains Division in walks with 33 and is tied for second in the Division in home runs with six. The North Huntingdon, Penn., native is hitting .306 with a team-leading 27 runs batted in. Ferguson is in his second season with Waterloo.

Phillips, a freshman from Kansas State University, was named to the All-Star team as a designated hitter. As a batter, the Omaha, Neb., native is hitting .278 with three home runs, 21 RBI, and six stolen bases. On the mound, the left-hander owns a 2.63 ERA with a 1-1 record, 18 strikeouts, and one save in 13.2 innings pitched.

Rubalcaba is hitting .302 with one home run, 15 RBI, and six stolen bases this season for the Bucks. The freshman from Santa Barbara City College in California has thrown out an NWL-leading 17 runners attempting to steal. Rubalcaba is a native of Vacaville, Calif.

Smiley, a right-hander, is sporting a 2.57 ERA with a 3-0 record, two saves, and 24 strikeouts in 13 appearances for Waterloo. He is currently tied for second in the Great Plains Division in the “Relief Pitcher Point Standings” with 12 points. Smiley is a native of La Crescenta, Calif., and is a junior from Columbia University,

Rosters for the 2019 NWL All-Star Game were announced on Friday. Ballots were cast by the field staff and media contacts of each of the Northwoods League's 22 teams.

The NWL All-Star game will be played on Tuesday, July 16 at Riverfront Stadium in Waterloo, starting at 7:05 PM. A home run derby will precede the game, starting at 5:35 PM.

The Bucks, who are celebrating their 25-anniversary season, are hosting the NWL All-Star game for the first time since 1996.