St. Cloud, MN – The 2017 Northwoods League Champions, St. Cloud Rox announced five players signed to return for the 2018 season today. The returning players include pitchers Bobby Gauvreau, Carlo Graffeo, and Chris Martin and catchers Louis Baker and Brad Mathiowetz.

Gauvreau is a junior right-handed pitcher at Minnesota State University, Mankato, returning for his third season with the Rox. In 2017, he appeared in 23 games, totaling 39 innings pitched. On the mound, he had a 3-2 record while posting a 2.77 earned run average with 43 strikeouts. Gauvreau pitched in 13 games for the Rox during the 2016 season.

Graffeo, a junior right-handed pitcher at Minnesota State University, Mankato is also returning for his third season with the Rox. In 2017, he started 10 games, earning three wins while pitching 46 innings. Over two seasons with the Rox Graffeo has a 6-4 record and a 3.60 earned run average over 90 innings in 19 games. Following the 2017 season he transferred from Southeastern Louisiana University to Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Martin, a junior right-handed pitcher at Kent State University is returning to the Rox after appearing in 19 games during the 2016 season. He compiled a 7-0 record with a 3.05 earned run average and 43 strikeouts, throwing 38.1 innings that summer. The seven wins is the Rox single season record for wins by a pitcher. A knee injury kept Martin sidelined during the 2017 season.

Baker is a sophomore catcher at Scottsdale Community College, returning after seeing action in six games last season with the Rox. He tallied seven hits good enough for a .412 batting average and scored three runs.

Mathiowetz, a junior catcher at Angelo State University is returning to the Rox after playing in 13 games during the 2017 season. He collected eight hits and scored five runs last season, including two homeruns and eight runs batted in. In 2014, Mathiowetz was a 35^th round draft pick by the Minnesota Twins.

Director of Baseball Operations Augie Rodriguez, Field Manager Al Newman and the Rox organization will continue to build the roster for the upcoming season. To date the Rox have eight players signed to return for the 2018 season.

Name                                     Position(s)                                             College                                                                  

Kyle Boser                            Right-Handed Pitcher                         St. Cloud State University

Louis Baker                          Catcher                                                  Scottsdale Community College

Bobby Gauvreau                 Right-Handed Pitcher                         Minnesota State University, Mankato

Carlo Graffeo                       Right-Handed Pitcher                         Minnesota State University, Mankato

Chris Martin                         Right-Handed Pitcher                         Kent State University

Brad Mathiowetz                 Catcher                                                  Angelo State University

John Matthews                    Right-Handed Pitcher/Infielder         Kent State University

Ricardo Sanchez                 Catcher/Infielder/Outfielder              University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff

The Rox will play their 7^th season of Northwoods League Baseball in 2018. The home opener at Joe Faber Field is schedule for Friday, June 1^st at 7:05 pm against the Mankato MoonDogs. Full and Partial Season tickets and group ticket packages for the 2018 season are currently on sale. For more information regarding this release please contact the Rox front office at (320) 240-9798 or visit www.stcloudrox.com.

The St. Cloud Rox are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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, more than 185 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.stcloudrox.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rox as your favorite team.