It is a turbulent time for baseball and all sports fans alike. This week, we wanted to provide an update on one of our alums that earned an invite to big league camp in our Express Alumni Update presented by Lakeland University.
A few weeks ago we profiled and provided updates for our alumni that were a part of MLB Spring Training. Guys like Jordan Zimmermann, Kole Calhoun, Nate Orf, and the most recent Alum to make his MLB debut, Sam Haggerty. We also looked at guys there that are non-roster invitees. Players like Daulton Varsho, Austin Listi and Brian Mundell. Among those players was 2015 Express Alum Griffin Jax.
Jax, a right-handed pitcher in the Minnesota Twins organization played his college ball for Air Force where he earned numerous Mountain West conference awards including 2016 Co-pitcher of the year, 2016 All-MW First Team, and was named to the Academic All-Mountain West team. In his career at Air Force, Jax started 44 of his 46 appearances, won 15 games, including a 9-win season in 2016, and held a career ERA of 4.28, with a 2016 ERA of 2.05. Last summer Jax was named Air Force Male Athlete of the Year.
Jax played sparingly with the Express in 2015, making three starts to begin the season. In his three appearances, the Express won all of their games, and Jax pitched six innings or more. The Colorado native earned his only win of the season in a six-inning, five strikeout outing against Thunder Bay in which Eau Claire won 10-5.
Jax was drafted by the Twins in the third round of the 2016 MLB draft. Working his way through the minors, Jax was elevated to AAA Rochester in 2019 and had a breakout season. With the Pensacola Blue Wahoos Jax was named Pitcher of the Week twice and was also named a 2019 Mid-Season All-Star. Jax’s performances and his five-win season in the minors in 2019 warranted an invitation to Twins Spring Training as a non-roster invitee.
With the beginning of the 2020 MLB season delayed and the remainder of Spring Training games canceled, we now have to wait to see what the future has in store for this talented Express alum.
Keep a lookout all off-season for more alumni updates presented by Lakeland University. At Lakeland University you’ll find unique 14-week BlendEd courses that allow you to complete coursework either online or in class from week to week depending on your location, schedule, and other life commitments allowing you to choose the format that works best for you.
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The Eau Claire Express are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 26th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 230 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 World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.eauclaireexpress.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Express as your favorite team.
