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.
| Jordan Zimmermann |  |
|
| Year: | 2006 | |
| College: | UW-Stevens Point | |
| Draft: | 2nd Round (67th Overall) in 2007 by the Washington Nationals | |
| Current Team: | Retired | |
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 |
| 95-91 | 4.07 | 279 | 275 | 8 | 4 | 1614 | 1573 | 789 | 730 | 346 | 1271 | 1.25 |
| 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 |
| .248 | 1071 | 3903 | 582 | 966 | 184 | 17 | 161 | 508 | 410 | 953 | .749 |
| Nevin Ashley |  |
|
| Years: | 2006 | |
| College: | Indiana State | |
| Draft: | 6th Round (169th Overall) in 2006 by the Tampa Bay Rays | |
| Current Team: | Retired | |
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: | Tampa Bay Rays | |
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 |
| 2-0 | 3.42 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 26.1 | 27 | 1.18 |
| Nathan Orf |  |
|
| Year: | 2010 | |
| College: | Baylor University | |
| Signed: | Signed by Milwaukee Brewers as a non-drafted free agent on June 14, 2013. | |
| Current Team: | Retired | |
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 |
| .071 | 21 | 28 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 | .366 |
| Sam Haggerty |  |
|
| Year: | 2013 | |
| College: | University of New Mexico | |
| Draft: | 24th round in the 2015 MLB Draft by the Cleveland 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 | OPS |
| .207 | 59 | 140 | 24 | 39 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 47 | .586 |
| Daulton Varsho |  |
|
| Year: | 2015-16 | |
| College: | UW-Milwaukee | |
| Draft: | 68th overall pick in 2017 by the Arizona Diamondbacks | |
| Current Team: | Arizona Diamondbacks | |
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 | 15 | 2 | 15 | 63 | 45 | 36 |
Express Records Held:
- Single-season Triples (7)
- Single-season homeruns (14)
- Single-season RBI (60)
Major League Baseball Stats:
| AVG. | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OPS |
| .231 | 132 | 385 | 57 | 89 | 22 | 4 | 14 | 47 | 42 | 100 | .728 |
| Louis Head |  |
|
| Year: | 2009 | |
| College: | Texas State | |
| Draft: | 18th round (563rd overall) in 2012 by the Cleveland Indians | |
| Current Team: | Miami Marlins | |
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 | SO | WHIP |
| 2-0 | 2.31 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 35.0 | 32 | 0.86 |
| 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 | SO | WHIP |
| 4-5 | 6.37 | 18 | 14 | 0 | 82.0 | 65 | 1.35 |
