Two Players With Local Ties Returning To Rox For ’24 Season

(KNSI) – This summer will see familiar faces on the field at the Rock Pile.

The St. Cloud Rox Baseball Club will try to improve on their Northwoods League runner-up performance from a year ago with six returning players. A pair of those have local ties.

Sawyer Smith is an infielder and pitcher for the St. Cloud State Huskies. The junior grew up in Wisconsin and spent his first summer as a Northwoods League player with the Fond Du Lac Dock Spiders. He has been at Joe Faber Field since.

Smith began as a utility guy in his collegiate career. He played in 21 games for the Huskies his freshman year, hitting .318. As a sophomore, he appeared in all 53 games, including regional action in the NCAA Division II tournament. Smith tallied 42 RBI and scored 48 runs at the plate while still pitching.

Sartell’s Tyler Hemmesch made a big impression in little more than a handful of games for the Rox in 2023, toeing the rubber just weeks after finishing his senior season as a Sabre. Hemmesch was a finalist for Mr. Baseball in 2023 and named to the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association Class AAAA All-State Team.

Hemmesch pitched 20.2 innings in eight games and struck out 29, enough to raise some eyebrows.

The Rox home opener is scheduled for Friday, May 31st.

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