WEST WINDSOR – Hamilton native James Pugliese, a pitcher for the Mercer County Community College baseball team during the 2011 season and a farmhand for the Chicago Cubs’ Class A affiliate in Boise, Idaho, was named to the South Division All-Star Team of the Northwest League and helped the team nail down an 8-7 win on August 2.

A graduate of Steinert High School, Pugliese was 6-1 as a starter for Mercer with a 1.27 ERA. He helped lead the Vikings to 21-16 record, reaching the Region 19 finals. Pugliese was selected in the 18th round of the 2011 amateur draft by the Cubs.

The 6’ 3’’ right-hander is a starter for the short-season Boise Hawks, where he posted a 3-2 record and a 2.41 ERA – good for third best in the league – en route to his all-star selection. During the NWL All-Star game in Everett, Wash., Pugliese pitched 2/3 of an inning and earned a hold in the victory, striking out one.

Pugliese was named Northwest League Pitcher of the Week for his performance during the third week of July after posting a 1-0 record with a 0.00 ERA in two starts.

As a member of the MCCC Vikings squad, Pugliese was named to the All-Region 19 and All-Garden State Athletic Conference First Teams. He was selected as the no. 2 player in the region in 2011 and was named a Third Team All-American.