Since the Eau Claire Express joined the Northwoods League in 2005, the organization has developed dozens of players who have continued their careers in professional baseball. The ultimate goal, of course, is to play Major League Baseball. Eau Claire has seen 11 players in its history achieve that ultimate goal. Right-handed pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (2006) was the first former Express player to reach the big leagues when he debuted with the Washington Nationals in 2009. Outfielder Kole Calhoun (2007-2009) became the second when he was recalled from the Minor Leagues in 2012. Catcher Nevin Ashley (2006) made a brief appearance when he was a September call-up for the Brewers in 2015. In the 2016 season, Eddie Gamboa (2007) was a September call-up for the Tampa Bay Rays.

The 2017 season saw two more former Express players reach the Major Leagues. In June 2017, Brad Goldberg (2010-11) was called up to the White Sox. Dietrich Enns (2010) was the second alumni to get the call in 2017, making his debut with the Minnesota Twins on August 10. Nathan Orf (2010) made his MLB debut July 2, 2018, with the Milwaukee Brewers. Sam Haggerty (2013) was a September call-up for the New York Mets in 2019.

In 2020, Daulton Varsho (2015-16) made his debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 30. Louis Head (2009) debuted with the Tampa Bay Rays on April 25, 2021, and Griffin Jax (2015) was called up by the Minnesota Twins on June 8.

Caleb Boushley

Year: 2016

College: UW-Lacrosse

Draft: 33rd Round in 2017 by the Padres

Current Team: Milwaukee Brewers



Northwoods League Pitching Stats:

W-L ERA G IP SO 8-2 2.95 10 61 47

Major League Baseball Stats:

W-L ERA G GS. SV IP SO WHIP 1-0 3.86 1 0 0 2.1 5 1.29



Jordan Zimmermann

Year: 2006

College: UW-Stevens Point

Draft: 2nd Round (67th Overall) in 2007 by the Washington Nationals

Current Team: Retired 2021

Northwoods League Pitching Stats:

W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER BB SO
4-2 1.01 11 10 * 80.2 42 18 9 28 92

Major League Baseball Stats:

W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER SO
95-91 4.07 279 275 0 1614.0 1673 789 730 1271

1

Kole Calhoun

Year: 2007-2009

College: Yavapai Community College / Arizona State

Draft: 8th Round (264th Overall) in 2010 by the Los Angeles Angels

Current Team: Oklahoma City Dodgers (Triple-A LA Dodgers)







Northwoods League Batting Stats:

Year Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
2007 .274 66 241 54 66 19 0 5 29 35 56
2008 .273 43 161 29 44 14 1 2 22 24 23
2009 .241 41 153 25 37 8 3 2 19 30 24

Northwoods League Pitching Stats:

Year W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER BB SO
2007 3-0 0.38 19 0 14 24 6 1 1 21 45
2008 1-2 3.46 12 0 8 13 13 6 5 5 20
2009 1-2 3,75 9 0 2 12 8 5 5 14 18


Major League Baseball Stats:

Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
0.316 1196 4291 618 1042 198 18 173 557 437 1089

Nevin Ashley

Year: 2006

College: Indiana State

Draft: 6th Round (169th Overall) in 2006 by the Tampa Bay Rays

Current Team: Retired 2021

Northwoods League Batting Stats:

Year Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
2006 .250 3 12 1 3 0 0 1 1 2 1

Major League Baseball Stats:

Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
.100 12 20 2 2 1 0 0 1 0 8

Eddie Gamboa

Year: 2007

College: UC Davis

Draft: 21st Round (626th Overall) in 2008 by the Baltimore Orioles

Current Team: Mariachis de Guadalajara (Mexican League)

Northwoods League Pitching Stats:

W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER BB SO
4-1 1.74 10 5 * 46.2 43 11 9 10 33

Major League Baseball Stats:

W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER SO
0-2 1.35 7 0 0 13.1 9 3 2 11

Brad Goldberg

Year: 2010-11

College: Ohio State

Draft: 10th Round (303rd Overall) in 2013 by the Chicago White Sox

Current Team: Retired 2017

Northwoods League Pitching Stats:

W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER BB SO
3-6 4.06 13 12 * 62 62 * * 34 50

Major League Baseball Stats:

W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER SO
0-0 8.25 11 0 0 12.0 14 11 11 3

Dietrich Enns

Year: 2010

College: Central Michigan

Draft: 19th Round (607th Overall) in 2012 by the New York Yankees

Current Team: Saitama Seibu Lions (NPB)

Northwoods League Pitching Stats:

W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER BB SO
3-2 2.04 18 4 0 53 49 * * 23 42

Major League Baseball Stats:

W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER SO
2-0 3.42 11 1 2 26.1 24 12 10 27

Nathan Orf

Year: 2010

College: Baylor University

Draft: Signed by Milwaukee Brewers as a non-drafted free agent on June 14, 2013

Current Team: Retired 2021

Northwoods League Batting Stats:

Year Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
2010 .294 55 187 38 55 9 2 2 32 29 23

Major League Baseball Stats:

Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
.071 21 28 5 2 0 0 1 1 3 9

Sam Haggerty

Year: 2013

College: University of New Mexico

Draft: 24th round (724th Overall) in 2015 by the Cleveland Guardians (Indians)

Current Team: Seattle Mariners

Northwoods League Batting Stats:

Year Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
2013 .317 34 123 21 39 6 0 2 23 17 21

Major League Baseball Stats:

Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
0.229 166 358 59 82 18 1 8 36 34 111

Daulton Varsho

Year: 2015-16

College: UW-Milwakuee

Draft: 68th Overall in 2017 by the Arizona Diamondbacks

Current Team: Toronto Blue Jays

Northwoods League Batting Stats:

Year Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
2015 .296 63 247 37 73 11 7 4 32 23 42
2016 .321 63 240 52 77 12 2 15 63 45 36


Major League Baseball Stats:

Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
0.231 345 1146 167 265 54 7 52 147 109 295

Louis Head

Year: 2009

College: Texas State

Draft: 18th Round (563rd Overall) in 2012 by the Cleveland Guardians (Indians)

Current Team: Lehigh Valley Ironpigs (Triple-A Philadelphia Phillies)

Northwoods League Pitching Stats:

W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER BB SO
3-4 5.13 11 8 0 54.1 64 45 31 28 49

Major League Baseball Stats:

W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER SO
2-0 4.10 55 2 1 63.2 53 30 29 58

Griffin Jax

Year: 2015

College: Air Force

Draft: 3rd Round (93rd Overall) in 2016 by the Minnesota Twins

Current Team: Minnesota Twins

Northwoods League Pitching Stats:

W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER BB SO
1-0 3.36 3 3 0 19.0 17 9 5 4 14

Major League Baseball Stats:

W-L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER SO
14-15 4.86 110 14 1 179.2 163 105 97 171

Alex Call

Year: 2013-14

College: Ball State University

Draft: 3rd Round (86th Overall) in the 2016 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox

Current Team: Washington Nationals

Northwoods League Batting Stats:

Year Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
2013 .348 8 23 3 8 0 0 1 3 3 3
2014 .314 15 51 7 16 1 0 1 13 4 3

Major League Baseball Stats:

Avg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO
0.226 105 314 42 71 12 1 8 33 41 77