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Loggers Sign Trio from Nationally Ranked Central Florida
LA CROSSE, WIS. – With opening day now less than 40 days away, the La Crosse Loggers added three key players to their roster for this upcoming 2026 season today when team officials announced the signings of Max Murray, Austin Jacobs and Sebastian Hurtado from nationally ranked Central Florida.
Right-handed hurler Max Murray is one of the top freshmen in the country and has acclimated very well to the collegiate game this spring for the UCF Knights. The 6-2, 215-pound freshman has posted a 3-2 record with a 2.87 ERA over 10 appearances to-date for UCF, striking out 12 batters over his 15.2 innings pitched. His 10 appearances rank fifth on the UCF staff this season. Coming out of Hagerty High School in Winter Springs, Fla. In 2025, Murray was ranked as a Top 200 freshman in the country by Perfect Game.
Slick-fielding infielder Austin Jacobs will be joining Murray in the trek north to La Crosse this summer and will do so after a very productive spring season. The former Clemson Tiger transferred into UCF prior to this season and is thriving in a Knights uniform. Jacobs, a Geneva, Fla. Native, currently ranks fourth on the Knights with a .319 batting average while posting a .402 on-base percentage and has driven in 18 runs this spring, all while manning down second base. Another top prospect coming out of high school in 2024, Perfect Game ranked him as a top 250 freshman entering college.
Backstop Sebastian Hurtado rounds out the talented UCF trio that is excited to tackle the Northwoods League experience this summer. An elite defender, Hurtado was one of the top catchers in the state of Florida coming out of high school as Perfect Game ranked as the eight best catcher in the state from the 2025 class. A 6-0, 200-pound right-hander hitter, Hurtado is originally from Orlando, Fla. and has appeared in nine games thus far for UCF this spring.
Murray, Jacobs, Hurtado and the rest of the Loggers will open their 2026 campaign on Monday, May 25 when they host the Duluth Huskies at 3:05 p.m. at Copeland Park. Season tickets, group outings, flex plans and Opening Day ticket packages are on sale now with ticket information available at www.lacrosseloggers.com or by calling the Loggers ticket office at 608-796-9553. The Loggers office is also open Monday thru Friday, 8:30 am – 5 p.m., at 1225 Caledonia Street, La Crosse.
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The La Crosse Loggers 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. Now entering its’ 33rd 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, 360 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 (TOR), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford and World Series Champion and Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (BAL) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on FloSports. For more information, visit www.lacrosseloggers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Loggers as your favorite team.