In the years the Express has been a part of the Northwoods League, the organization has developed dozens of players that have advanced to professional baseball. The ultimate goal, of course, is to play Major League Baseball. Eau Claire has seen eight 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 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. Late in the 2016 season, Eddie Gamboa (2007) was a September call-up for the Tampa Bay Rays becoming the fourth former Express player to appear in a Major League Baseball game. The 2017 season saw two more former Express players reach the Major Leagues. June 2017, Brad Goldberg (2010-11) was called up to the White Sox after achieving a record to that point in 2017 of 2-1 with a 1.99 ERA, four saves, and 22 strikeouts over 17 games with the AAA Charlotte Knights. After being traded to the Minnesota Twins organization, Dietrich Enns (2010) was the second alumni to get the call in 2017, making his debut on August 10. Nathan Orf made his MLB debut July 2, 2018, with the Brewers and registered his first big-league hit with a home run against the Minnesota Twins on July 4th in Milwaukee. Sam Haggerty was a September call-up for the New York Mets in 2019.
Below is a recap of their careers in the Northwoods League and how they have fared in the Major Leagues thus far.
Jordan Zimmermann | ![]() |
|
Year: | 2006 | |
College: | UW-Stevens Point | |
Draft: | 2nd Round (67th Overall) in 2007 by the Washington Nationals | |
Current Team: | Detroit Tigers |
Northwoods League Pitching Stats:
W-L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
4-2 | 1.01 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 80.2 | 42 | 18 | 9 | 28 | 92 |
Express Records Held:
- Single-season Innings Pitched (80.2)
- Single-season Strikeouts (92)
Major League Baseball Stats:
W-L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | WHIP |
79-57 | 3.45 | 197 | 196 | 8 | 4 | 1199.1 | 1165 | 502 | 460 | 247 | 969 | 1.18 |
Kole Calhoun | ![]() |
|
Years: | 2007-2009 | |
College: | Yavapai Community College / Arizona State | |
Draft: | 8th Round (264th Overall) in 2010 by the Los Angeles Angels | |
Current Team: | Arizona Diamondbacks |
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 | 24.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 45 |
2008 | 1-2 | 3.46 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 13.0 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 20 |
2009 | 1-2 | 3.75 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 12.0 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 18 |
Express Records Held:
- Single-season Doubles (19)
- Single-season Runs Scored (57)
- Single-season ERA (0.38)
- Single-season Saves (14)
- Career Doubles (41)
- Career Walks (89)
- Career Saves (24)
Major League Baseball Stats:
AVG. | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OPS |
.266 | 522 | 1935 | 290 | 515 | 97 | 12 | 69 | 249 | 173 | 433 | .764 |
Nevin Ashley | ![]() |
|
Years: | 2006 | |
College: | Indiana State | |
Draft: | 6th Round (169th Overall) in 2006 by the Tampa Bay Rays | |
Current Team: | Free Agent |
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 | OPS |
.100 | 12 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | .293 |
Eddie Gamboa | ![]() |
|
Year: | 2007 | |
College: | UC Davis | |
Draft: | 21st Round (626th Overall) in 2008 by the Baltimore Orioles | |
Current Team: | Sultanes de Monterrey |
Northwoods League Pitching Stats:
W-L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
4-1 | 1.74 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 46.2 | 43 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 33 |
Major League Baseball Stats:
W-L | ERA | G | GS | SV | SVO | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | WHIP |
0-2 | 1.35 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.1 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 1.28 |
Brad Goldberg | ![]() |
|
Year: | 2010-11 | |
College: | Ohio State | |
Draft: | 10th Round (303th Overall) in 2013 by the Chicago White Sox | |
Current Team: | Released |
Northwoods League Pitching Stats:
W-L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | IP | H | BB | SO |
3-6 | 4.06 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 62 | 34 | 50 |
Major League Baseball Stats:
W-L | ERA | G | GS | SV | IP | SO | WHIP |
0-0 | 8.25 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 12.0 | 3 | 2.33 |
Dietrich Enns | ![]() |
|
Year: | 2010 | |
College: | Central Michigan | |
Draft: | 2nd Round (607th Overall) in 2012 by the New York Yankees | |
Current Team: | Free Agent |
Northwoods League Pitching Stats:
W-L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | IP | H | BB | SO |
3-2 | 2.04 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 49 | 23 | 42 |
Major League Baseball Stats:
W-L | ERA | G | GS | SV | IP | SO | WHIP |
0-0 | 6.75 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | 2 | 2.00 |
Nathan Orf | ![]() |
|
Year: | 2010 | |
College: | Baylor University | |
Signed: | Signed by Milwaukee Brewers as a non-drafted free agent on June 14th, 2013. | |
Current Team: | Las Vegas Aviators | Oakland Athletics (AAA) |
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 | OPS |
.095 | 15 | 21 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | .478 |
Sam Haggerty | ![]() |
|
Year: | 2013 | |
College: | University of New Mexico | |
Draft: | 24th round in the 2015 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians | |
Current Team: | New York Mets |
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 | OPS |
.— | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |