Rox Sign Seven Players to Roster
Northwoods St. Cloud Rox

Rox Sign Seven Players to Roster

Published on May 11, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
St. Cloud Rox News Release


ST. CLOUD, MN - The St. Cloud Rox have announced the addition of seven players to the team's 2026 roster. Joining the Rox for the upcoming season are Emerson McKnight (University of Kansas), Isaiah Salas (University of Missouri), Braden Giardina (Oklahoma State University commit), Chris Tavarez (University of Kansas), KJ Hart (Northwest Florida State College), Aiden Mouton (LSU-Eunice/University of Kansas commit) and Josiah Petersen (Augustana University).

Left-handed pitcher Isaiah Salas comes to St. Cloud from the University of Missouri. A standout two-way player at The Woodlands High School in Texas, Salas earned All-District honors and was ranked as the No. 19 left-handed pitcher in Texas by Perfect Game. During the 2026 season with Missouri, Salas recorded a 4.60 ERA with 15 strikeouts over 15.2 innings pitched.

Freshman left-handed pitcher Emerson McKnight joins the Rox from the University of Kansas after an accomplished high school career at Marcus High School in Texas. McKnight was ranked as the No. 32 pitcher in Texas by Perfect Game and earned All-District MVP and All-State First Team honors. He also set the school's single-game strikeout record with 16 strikeouts. In his first season with the nationally ranked Jayhawks, McKnight has appeared in 2.2 innings in 2026.

Braden Giardina, a freshman left-handed pitcher at Modesto Junior College, joins the Rox after posting 6.43 strikeouts per game across seven appearances while limiting opposing hitters to a .245 batting average. Giardina also competed in the Western Canadian Summer League in 2025, where he registered a 3.44 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 36.2 innings pitched. He is committed to Oklahoma State University for the 2027 season.

Infielder Chris Tavarez enters the Rox organization following a strong season at El Paso Community College. The junior from Puerto Rico is batting .324 with five home runs, 33 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in 56 games played. Tavarez was ranked as the No. 7 shortstop in Puerto Rico in the 2024 graduating class. Tavarez is headed to the University of Kansas in the fall.

Right-handed pitcher KJ Hart joins the Rox from Northwest Florida State College. Hart has made 14 appearances during the 2026 season, recording 30 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched. Coming out of high school in Georgia, Hart was ranked as the No. 20 right-handed pitcher in the state by Perfect Game.

Utility player and pitcher Aiden Mouton will also suit up for the Rox in 2026 following two productive seasons at LSU-Eunice. The redshirt sophomore has totaled 13 strikeouts over 15.2 innings pitched while holding opponents to a .204 batting average on the mound. Offensively, Mouton has excelled at the plate, batting .425 with 24 home runs and 118 RBIs during his career with the Bengals. He is committed to the University of Kansas for the 2027 season.

Rounding out the group is Foley, Minnesota native and right-handed pitcher Josiah Petersen from Augustana University. Petersen made three appearances for the Vikings during the 2025 season, recording one strikeout in 1.1 innings pitched. Prior to his collegiate career, Petersen earned Granite Ridge Conference MVP honors and was named the 2023 St. Cloud Times Baseball Player of the Year after batting .526 with 38 RBIs and nine home runs. In 2026 with the Vikings, he earned a 3.82 ERA across 33 innings and striking out 37 batters.

The Rox home opener is on Friday, May 29 at 7:05 PM. There will be a huge post-game fireworks show presented by Coborn's. For more information about this release and everything Rox including ticket plans and group options, please visit stcloudrox.com or call (320) 240-9798.

The 2026 season is presented by Eide Chrysler St. Cloud.

This signing update is brought to you by Grede Casting and Integrity. Grede is a leading producer of highly engineered cast components across automotive, commercial vehicle, and industrial markets.

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