Zerjav is President and Owner of the Fond Du Lac Dock Spiders

Rochester, Minn. – In a resounding acknowledgment of his outstanding contributions to the world of Minor League Baseball, Rob Zerjav has been named Minor League Baseball Executive of the Year. This prestigious accolade comes as a testament to Zerjav’s unwavering dedication, innovative leadership, and significant impact on the development and success of minor league baseball.

2024 will mark Rob’s 28th season in Minor League Baseball, all with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. A native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Rob received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.  He began his career with the Timber Rattlers as an unpaid intern before joining the full-time staff as a group sales representative.  After two years in group ticket sales, Rob was promoted to Director of Baseball Operations and then to Vice President of Baseball Operations.

Following the 2002 season, he was promoted to Team President and General Manager. In 2004, Rob was recognized as UW-Whitewater’s Outstanding Recent Alumni and has been recognized as the Midwest League Executive of the Year three times – in 2007, 2012, and 2018.

Rob was instrumental in bringing a Northwoods League baseball team to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and has served as the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders Team President since their inception in 2017.  The team has seen much success in their short existence and was named Entrepreneur of the Year at the Marian University Business and Industry Awards in 2017.  The team captured their first league title the next season in only their second year of existence and repeated as league champion in 2020.

In 2020, Rob was part of a small ownership group, Third Base Ventures, that purchased the Timber Rattlers, the Dock Spiders and Fox Cities Stadium, the home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

“It is great to have someone of Rob’s stature as an owner of a Northwoods team and even better that he is a member of the League’s Board of Directors.  Congratulations as no one deserves it more,” said Northwoods League Chairman Dick Radatz, Jr.

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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 30th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, 340 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.