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. 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.
Jordan Zimmerman
Hometown: Auburndale, WI
Express Season(s): 2006
College: UW- Stevens Point
Drafted: 2007, 2nd round (67th ovr) to the Washington Nationals
Teams Played for: Washington Nationals (2009-2015), Detroit Tigers (2016-2020), Milwaukee Brewers (2021)
Current Team: Retired 2021
Pro Stats:
1,614 IP || 275 Games Started || 95-91 Record || 4.07 ERA || 1,271 Strikeouts || 1.25 WHIP || 2x All-Star (2013-14)
Kole Calhoun
Hometown: Buckeye, AZ
Express Season(s): 2007-2009
College: Yapavi College- Prescott, Arizona State
Drafted: 2010, 8th round (264th ovr) by the Los Angeles Angels
Teams Played for: Los Angeles Angels (2012-19), Arizona Diamondbacks (2020-21), Texas Rangers (2022), Cleveland Guardians (2023)
Current Team: Retired 2023
Pro Stats:
1,239 Games || 1,076 Hits || 179 HR || 582 RBI || .242 AVG || .315 OBP || .732 OPS
Nevin Ashley
Hometown: Vincennes, IN
Express Season(s): 2006
College: Indiana State
Drafted: 2006, 6th round (169th overall) to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Teams Played for: Milwaukee Brewers (2015)
Current team: Retired 2021
Pro Stats:
21 PA || 2 Hits || 1 Double || 1 RBI
Eddie Gamboa
Hometown: Merced, CA
Express Season(s): 2007
College: UC Davis
Drafted: 2008, 21st Round (626th overall) to the Baltimore Orioles
Teams Played for: Tampa Bay Rays (2016)
Current Team: Retired 2023
Pro Stats:
7 Games || 13.1 IP || 1.35 ERA || 11 SO || 1.28 WHIP
Brad Goldberg
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Express Season(s): 2012
College: Ohio State
Drafted: 2013, 10th Round (303rd overall) by the Chicago White Sox
Teams Played for: Chicago White Sox (2017)
Current Team: Retired 2019, Current Bullpen Coach for the Cleveland Guardians
Pro Stats:
11 Games || 12.0 IP || 3 SO || 2.33 WHIP
Dietrich Enns
Hometown: Frankfort, IL
Express Season(s): 2011
College: Central Michigan
Drafted: 2012, 19th Round (607th overall) to the New York Yankees
Teams Played for: Minnesota Twins (2017) and the Tampa Bay Rays (2021)
Current Team: LG Twins (KBO League)
Pro Stats:
11 GP || 1 GS || 26.1 IP || 27 Strikeouts || 1.18 WHIP
Nathan Orf
Hometown: St. Charles, MO
Express Season(s): 2010
College: Baylor
Drafted: non-drafted free agent (signed on June 14th, 2013 by the Milwaukee Brewers)
Teams Played for: Milwaukee Brewers (2018), Oakland Athletics (2020)
Current Team: Retired 2021
Pro Stats:
21 GP || 28 At Bats || 2 Hits || 1 RBI || 1 HR || 1 SB
Sam Haggerty
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Express Season(s): 2013
College: University of New Mexico
Drafted: 2015, Round 24 (724th) to the Cleveland Indians
Teams Played for: New York Mets (2019), Seattle Mariners (2020-present)
Current Team: Seattle Mariners
Pro Stats:
202 GP || 98 Hits || 19 Doubles || 40 RBI || 33 SB || .663 OPS
Louis Head
Hometown: Houston, TX
Express Season(s): 2009
College: Texas State
Drafted: 2012, Round 18 (563rd overall) to the Cleveland Indians
Teams Played for: Tampa Bay (2021), Miami Marlins & Baltimore Orioles (2022)
Current Team: Retired 2024
Pro Stats:
55 G || 2-0 || 4.10 ERA || 1 SV || 58 SO || 1.21 WHIP
Griffin Jax
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Express Season(s): 2015
College: Air Force
Drafted: 2016, Round 3 (93rd overall) to the Minnesota Twins
Teams Played for: Minnesota Twins (2021-present)
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
Pro Stats:
184 GP || 20-21 || 4.35 ERA || 10 GS || 250 SO || 1.17 WHIP
Daulton Varsho
Hometown: Marshfield, WI
Express Season(s): 2015-16
College: UW- Milwaukee
Drafted: Competitive Balance- Round B (68th overall) to the Arizona Diamondbacks
Teams Played for: Arizona Diamondbacks (2020-22), Toronto Blue Jays (2023-present)
Current Team: Toronto Blue Jays
Pro Stats:
504 G || 367 Hits || 71 HR || 213 RBI || 48 SB || .720 OPS
Steven Wilson
Hometown: Littleton, CO
Express Season(s): 2014
College: Santa Clara
Drafted: 2018, Round 8 (231st overall) to the San Diego Padres
Teams Played for: San Diego Padres (2022-23), Chicago White Sox (2024-present)
Current Team: Chicago White Sox
Pro Stats:
124 GP || 125.1 IP || 3.38 ERA || 129 SO || 1.15 WHIP
Mickey McDonald
Hometown: San Mateo, CA
Express Season(s): 2016
College: Illinois- Chicago
Drafted: 2017, Round 18 (531st overall) to the Oakland Athletics
Teams Played for: Oakland Athletics (2022)
Current Team:Free Agent
Pro Stats:
4 AB || 2 Walks || .333 OPS
Caleb Boushley
Hometown: Hortonville, WI
Express Season(s): 2016
College: UW- La Crosse
Drafted: 2017, San Diego Padres, Round 33 (978th overall) to the Milwaukee Brewers
Teams Played for: Milwaukee Brewers (2023), Minnesota Twins (2024-present)
Current Team: Minnesota Twins
Pro Stats:
2 GP || 1-0 || 6 SO || 6.23 ERA || 1.62 WHIP
Alex Call
Hometown: Burnsville, MN
Express Season(s): 2015-16
College: Ball State
Drafted: 2016, Round 3 (86th overall) to the Chicago White Sox
Teams Played for: Cleveland Guardians & Chicago White Sox (2022), Washington Nationals (2023-present)
Current Team: Washington Nationals
Pro Stats:
182 GP || 107 Hits || 13 HR || 52 RBI || .320 OBP || .653 OPS
Justin Slaten
Hometown: Longview, TX
Express Season(s): 2018
College: University of New Mexico
Drafted: 2019, Round 3 (86th overall) to the Texas Rangers
Teams Played for: Boston Red Sox (2024-present)
Current Team: Boston Red Sox
Pro Stats:
23 GP || 3-2 || 2.76 ERA || 34 SO || .98 WHIP
Mark Hallberg (Coach)
Express Season(s): 2005
Drafted: 2007, Round 9 (283rd overall) to the Arizona Diamondbacks
Coaching History:
- 2020: Hired as an Assistant Coach by the San Fransisco Giants
- 2021: Named Third Base Coach by the San Fransisco Giants
- 2024: Named First Base Coach by the San Fransisco Giants
Trent Blank (Coach)
Express Season(s): 2009
Drafted: 2012, 30th round to the Colorado Rockies
Coaching History:
- Bullpen Coach for the Seattle Mariners (2020-present)
Harvey Martin (Coach)
Express Season(s): 2010-12
Drafted: Signed with the Milwaukee Brewers (2013)
Coaching History:
- Part-time Consultant for the San Fransisco Giants in 2021
- Hired as full time Human-Performance coach by the San Fransisco Giants in 2022-present
Justin Viele (Coach)
Express Season(s): 2011
Drafted: 2013, Round 37 (1119th overall) to the Baltimore Orioles
Coaching History:
- Hired by the San Fransisco Giants as the Hitting Coach in 2020
