Two Former Rox Selected on Day 1 of 2026 MLB Draft
Northwoods St. Cloud Rox

Two Former Rox Selected on Day 1 of 2026 MLB Draft

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


St. Cloud Rox' Kade Lewis
St. Cloud Rox' Kade Lewis
(St. Cloud Rox)

ST. CLOUD, MN - Tyson LeBlanc and Kade Lewis, both former Rox players, were selected in the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday. LeBlanc, a member of the 2025 team, was selected 61st overall by the Detroit Tigers. Lewis, who spent time in 2024 with St. Cloud, was selected 123rd overall by the Cleveland Guardians.

LeBlanc was a vital piece of the 2025 Rox team that went 48-24 overall and held the best record in the Great Plains. In 41 games, LeBlanc had an impressive .345 batting average with 51 hits, 26 RBI, and 5 home runs.

LeBlanc began his collegiate career at LSU-Eunice, where he played for Rox Field Manager Nick Studdard. In 2 seasons with the Bengals, LeBlanc hit .367 with 132 RBI in 119 games.

After his stellar summer with St. Cloud in 2025, the shortstop took the jump to play for the Kansas Jayhawks. LeBlanc proved to be the key figure for a Jayhawks squad that hosted their first-ever regional and super regional in 2026. LeBlanc was one of two players to start every game for Kansas, and broke a single-season program record with 25 home runs.

When the lights were brightest, LeBlanc shined the most. LeBlanc earned All-Big 12 First Team honors and was named the 2026 Big 12 Baseball Tournament Most Outstanding Player, going 8-for-13 at the plate in three games. LeBlanc received All-American bids at the end of the 2026 season from multiple outlets and became the highest drafted position player in Kansas program history by being selected 61st overall.

Lewis, a member of the 2024 Rox, hails just down the road from St. Cloud in Sartell. Lewis was a graduate of Sartell High School and was the 2022 St. Cloud Times Player of the Year.

Lewis started his collegiate career at Butler, where he was the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year in 2024 with a .377 batting average and 51 runs batted in.

After his time with the Bulldogs, Lewis joined the Rox in 2024 and played in 13 games. He recorded 13 hits in that span, with four of them being doubles.

Lewis moved to Wake Forest for the 2025 season and instantly showed his offensive ability with a .375 batting average in 13 starts. He took a further step in 2026, making 24 starts for the Demon Deacons, where he led the team in batting average at .354 and tallied up another 24 RBI with seven home runs.

LeBlanc and Lewis are the latest additions to the list of over 100 former Rox to be selected 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.

www.stcloudrox.com

Season Presented By: Eide Chrysler St. Cloud

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Images from this story

St. Cloud Rox' Tyson LeBlanc
St. Cloud Rox' Tyson LeBlanc
 St. Cloud Rox' Kade Lewis
St. Cloud Rox' Kade Lewis
  



Northwoods League Stories from July 11, 2026


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