St. Cloud Rox (collegiate summer baseball)

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St. Cloud Rox
St. Cloud Rox logo.svg
Logo
Information
League Northwoods League (1994-pres) (Great Plains West Division: 2019-pres)
(North Division: 1998-2018)
Location St. Cloud, Minnesota
Ballpark Joe Faber Field
Founded1994
Division championshipsRiver Bats: 6 (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007)
Rox: 4 (2015, 2017, 2021, 2023)
League championshipsRiver Bats: (1998, 2000, 2007)
Rox: (2017)
Former name(s)St. Cloud River Bats (1997–2011), Dubuque Mud Puppies (1994-1996)
Former ballparks Dick Putz Field
ColorsLight Blue, Navy Blue, Grey & Red
MascotChisel
OwnershipRox Local Group: Gary Posch, Joe Sexton, Scott Schreiner
Manager Nick Studdard
Media St. Cloud Times WJON
Website stcloudrox.com

The St. Cloud Rox are a baseball team that play in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. Their home games are played at the Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Contents

Beginnings in Dubuque

The franchise was one of the five founding members of the league in 1994 and was located in Dubuque, Iowa. The team was nicknamed the Mud Puppies. [1] [2] They played in Dubuque from 1994 to 1996, struggling financially despite strong backing from the business community. [3]

Return of baseball to St. Cloud

St. Cloud, Minnesota has hosted baseball for decades at a variety of play levels. Baseball returned to the city in 1997 in the Northwoods League with the relocation of the Mud Puppies. With the move came a new name for the team, the St. Cloud River Bats. [4] The River Bats were a premier team in the Northwoods League, winning 3 league championships, one North Division overall championship, and 3 First Half North Division pennants.

Return of the Rox

In February 2012, the Northwoods League sold the team rights to a local interest group while reserving the rights to the name and logo. The St. Cloud franchise played the 2012 season as the St. Cloud Rox, hearkening back to a popular minor league team that played in the city until 1971. [5]

Radio broadcasts

Rox games can be heard on 1390 Granite City Sports. Aspiring Broadcasters from colleges across the United States have served as the voice of Rox Baseball over the years.

St. Cloud players in MLB

The following is a list of former Rox or River Bats who have played in Major League Baseball. [6]

NameYear(s) with St. CloudMLB accolades
Drew Avans 2017
Austin Barnes 2010World Series champion (2x)
Chris Başak 1998/1999
Buddy Baumann 2007
Michael Busch 2017
Mark Canha 2008
Alex Carrillo 2019
Will Craig 2014
Ben DeLuzio 2016
Chris Demaria 2000/2001
Thomas Diamond 2002/2003
Cam Eden 2017
Steve Edlefsen 2004
Jay Flaa 2013
TJ Friedl 2016
Mitch Garver 2010/2011World Series Champion, Silver Slugger
John Gaub 2004
Lucas Gilbreath 2015
Tom Gorzelanny 2001
Justin Huisman 1998/1999
Chris Jakubauskas 1999
Jason Jaramillo 2002
Sean Kazmar 2003
Otto Kemp 2021
Roger Kieschnick 2006
Brice Matthews 2021/2022
Alex McRae 2013
Ben Meyer 2012
Casey McGehee 2001NL Rookie of the Month (Sep. 2009)
Zach Pop 2015
Robb Quinlan 1998AL Rookie of the Month (Jul. 2004)
Tony Renda 2009
Konrad Schmidt 2003/2005
Daniel Schneemann 2017
Bob Seymour 2018
Jake Smith 2011
Josh Smith 2010
Jared Solomon 2017
Dan Straily 2009
Josh Taylor 2014
Will Warren 2018
Robbie Weinhardt 2007
Jason Wheeler 2010
Jack Winkler 2020/2021

References

  1. ↑ "Get Ready for the Mud Puppies and Skunks". Post-Bulletin . Rochester, Minnesota. June 8, 1994. Archived from the original on September 18, 2025. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  2. ↑ "History". Northwoods League . Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Northwoods League". Encyclopedia Dubuque. February 16, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Pointstreak Sites | Northwoods League | History". Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2012-04-17.
  5. ↑ "The Rox Name Returns for New St. Cloud Franchise". News. St. Cloud Rox. 28 February 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-03-02. Retrieved 11 March 2012. This team name had been in use previously by a team who was part of the Northern League. They were in operation from the mid 1940s until 1971 and even featured Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Brock. The Rox lead the North Division in attendance in 2012 with over 55,000 fans attending Rox games.
  6. ↑ "Northwoods League Alumni in Major League Baseball" (PDF). Northwoods League. September 23, 2025. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
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