Three former St. Cloud Rox players will be among the 34 former Northwoods League players and 180 players overall from around the country that will take part in the Arizona Fall League starting next week.

Will Craig (2014), Josh Taylor (2014) and Jay Flaa (2013) will play in the two-month league, which starts in the second week in October and runs through the third week in November annually.

All 180 players that take part in the league are picked by their Major League Baseball affiliate, with each big league club sending their top six prospects in their respective minor league systems.

Will Craig

Craig will play for the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League.

A first baseman who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft, Craig spent his 2018 minor league season in the Pirates organization with the Altoona Curve (Double A). In 132 games, he finished with 73 runs scored, 119 hits, 30 doubles, three triples, 20 home runs, 102 RBI and six stolen bases along with a .248 batting average. He ranked first in all of Double A in total RBI, while ranking second in games played, fifth in doubles and sixth in runs scored and home runs in the Eastern League.

With the Rox in 2014, Craig played in 56 games and tallied a .255 batting average in St. Cloud. He recorded 28 runs scored, 52 hits, 11 doubles, eight home runs and 30 RBI during that span.

Josh Taylor

Taylor will play for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League.

A left-handed pitcher who was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as a free agent in 2014, Taylor completed his 2018 minor league season in the Boston Red Sox organization with the Pawtucket Red Sox (Triple A). Starting the season at the Class A Advanced level, he finished the year playing in 48 games overall, holding an ERA of 3.35 in 53.2 innings with 60 strikeouts.

With the Rox in 2014, Taylor appeared in 10 games on the mound. In 44.2 innings, he recorded 51 strikeouts with an ERA of 3.82.

Jay Flaa

Flaa will play for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League.

A right-handed pitcher who was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the sixth round of the 2015 MLB Draft, Flaa spent his 2018 minor league season in the Orioles organization with the Bowie Baysox (Double A). In 41 games and 65 innings of work, Flaa tallied a record of 3-1 and an ERA of 2.77 while giving up 20 earned runs and recording 67 strikeouts.

With the Rox in 2013, Flaa appeared in 10 games and 12.2 innings, giving up just four earned runs while striking out 20 to carry an ERA of 2.84.