Seven Former Rox Picked in 2026 MLB Draft
Published on July 13, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
St. Cloud Rox News Release
ST. CLOUD, MN - Seven former Rox players were selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, joining a list of over 100 fellow Rox to be selected in the MLB Draft. Tyson LeBlanc, Kade Lewis, Brady Ballinger, Marcus Kruzan, Dallis Moran, JP Robertson, and Weber Neels all added their names to the prestigious list between Saturday and Sunday.
LeBlanc joined the Rox in 2025 after spending two years at LSU-Eunice, where he played for Rox Field Manager Nick Studdard. The shortstop was a vital piece of the 2025 Rox squad that had the best record in the Great Plains, holding a .345 batting average with 51 hits in 41 games. After his stellar summer in St. Cloud, he took the jump to play for the Kansas Jayhawks, where he was named the 2026 Big 12 Baseball Tournament Most Outstanding Player and received All-American bids from multiple outlets. He became the highest drafted position player in Kansas program history by being selected 61st overall by the Detroit Tigers.
Lewis, a member of the 2024 Rox, hails just down the road in Sartell, where he was a graduate of Sartell High School and was the 2022 St. Cloud Times Player of the Year. He started his collegiate career at Butler, where he was the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year. After his time with the Bulldogs, Lewis joined the Rox in 2024 and had 13 hits. Lewis moved to Wake Forest for the 2025 season and took a further step in 2026, where he led the Demon Deacons in batting average at .354. Lewis was selected 123rd overall by the Cleveland Guardians.
Another Kansas Jayhawk who was with the Rox was also drafted by the Detroit Tigers, with Ballinger being selected with the 216th pick. Ballinger was with the Rox in 2025 and showed patience at the plate, walking 25 times while also tallying 15 RBI in 19 games. Ballinger spent a year at Southern Nevada before earning All-Big 12 Honors, All-American Honors, and becoming a USA Baseball Collegiate National Team training camp invitee in his career with the Jayhawks.
Kruzan, a two-year member with the Rox, was selected with the 371st pick by the Milwaukee Brewers. Over two seasons, Kruzan pitched 30.1 innings with 38 strikeouts for St. Cloud. Kruzan was a 2025 All-Summit League First Team member with the University of St. Thomas before transferring to the University of Minnesota, where he made twelve starts this spring for the Golden Gophers.
Moran, who was with St. Cloud in 2024, was chosen at pick number 474 by the St. Louis Cardinals. Moran pitched 8.2 innings with 10 strikeouts for the Rox in 2024, and pitched 28 innings with 43 strikeouts for Stetson University in the spring of 2026.
Robertson was an All-Star with the Rox in 2025, and now brings his talents to San Francisco after being selected with the 598th pick. With St. Cloud, Robertson made 11 starts, including one in the postseason, and led the Northwoods League in strikeouts with 59 in the regular season. Robertson was a key piece in an Ole Miss pitching staff that made it to the Men's College World Series in 2026, as he made 22 appearances with 49 strikeouts under his belt this spring.
Neels was chosen with the 556th pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Neels batted in 15 runs for the Rox in 2023, and wrapped up his fourth year at the University of Minnesota by being named to the 2026 Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Midseason Watchlist and hitting .337 for the Golden Gophers.
These seven players are the newest additions to the expansive history of talented players to make their way through St. Cloud and be picked in the MLB Draft.
The next Rox home game is on Monday, July 13th, against the Minnesota Mud Puppies at Joe Faber Field at 6:35 PM, presented by McDonald's Meats and Rengel Printing. It will be $1 Hot Dog Night while supplies last, and Former Rox Star Jordan Barth Will Have His Number (#1) Retired. There will be a Special Edition Barth Poster Giveaway for the first 500 fans.
The 2026 season is presented by Eide Chrysler St. Cloud.
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