Five Former Express Players Selected in 2026 MLB Draft
Northwoods Eau Claire Express

Five Former Express Players Selected in 2026 MLB Draft

Published on July 13, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Eau Claire Express News Release


Eau Claire, Wis. - The Eau Claire Express proudly celebrates five former players who were drafted in the 2026 MLB Draft.

Former Eau Claire Express player Cole Selvig was the first player drafted who had played in an Eau Claire jersey, selected as a sixth-round pick, 176th overall, by the Miami Marlins.

An Altoona, Wisconsin native, Selvig committed to the University of Minnesota, where he finished his career as a Gopher, starting in all 14 appearances and collecting a 5-4 record with a 5.21 ERA. In his junior year, he had a season high of nine strikeouts over 5.2 innings against Kansas.

Joining the Express in 2024, Selvig secured a 4-1 record, recording 33 strikeouts, 14 walks, 16 runs and 28 hits during his 30.2 innings on the mound and facing 138 batters.

Tanner Sagouspe, a former Train, was next to be drafted in the ninth round as the 254th overall pick by the Colorado Rockies. From TCU, Sagouspe racked up honors of 2026 First Team All-Big 12, 2024 Honorable Mention All-Big West and 2024 Big West Spring Academic All-Conference.

Sagouspe tied for second on the Horned Frogs with 20 appearances out of the bullpen. He joined the Express in 2023, participating in 25 games during which he recorded four home runs, four doubles, and two triples. He finished the season with a batting average of .216, scoring 13 runs and driving in 23 RBIs.

As a pitcher for the Express in the regular season and the 2023 playoffs, Sagouspe secured three wins, pitching for a total of 18 innings and dishing out 25 strikeouts, 15 walks, with an ERA of 5.50.

The 280th overall pick was Drew Whalen in the ninth round, drafted by the Seattle Mariners. An Auburn graduate, Whalen played for the Express in 2024 as a pitcher, where he played for seven games in the regular season, dishing out 23 strikeouts, seven walks and 30 hits with an ERA of 7.84.

Dylan O'Connell from the University of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was a 15th-round pick, 441st overall, to the Athletics. O'Connell spent the 2024 regular season with the Express as an outfielder, where he played in 40 games and at bat 159 times.

During his time in an Eau Claire jersey, O'Connell held a .239 batting average, securing 23 runs, 38 hits, four home runs and 35 RBIS.

Cort MacDonald was the 554th overall pick in the 19th round, the final player drafted who was in an Eau Claire Express jersey in the past. Drafted by the Colorado Rockies, MacDonald went to Stanford and played for the Express in 2023 and 2025.

MacDonald finished his two seasons with the Express as an outfield playing in 49 games and developing a .311 overall batting average. Securing 43 runs, 57 hits, four home runs and 25 RBIS. From the field, MacDonald tallied 118 putouts, three assists and a .976 fielding percentage.

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Northwoods League Stories from July 13, 2026


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