Getting to know Will Wagner, the utility infielder the Jays acquired in the Yusei Kikuchi deal

Wagner, who’s 26th birthday was on Monday, was selected in the 18th-round of the 2021 draft by the Astros. In his first half-season with the team, he slashed .299/.388/.436 with two home runs in 134 plate appearances, along with an 11.9 BB% and a 24.6 K% with Houston’s Single-A team.

Spending the 2022 season between High-A and Double-A, the utility infielder slashed .261/.374/.394 with 10 home runs in 497 plate appearances, along with a 13.5 BB% and a 19.7 K% for a 108 wRC+. A solid season without question.

It wasn’t until the 2023 season where Wagner really broke out though. Spending most of the season in Double-A, Wagner slashed .309/.385/.507 with seven home runs in 234 plate appearances, along with an 11.1 BB% and a 20.1 K% for a 134 wRC+. His promotion to Triple-A saw him register 15 hits in just 28 plate appearances.

Although he didn’t hit that well in Triple-A in 2024, Wagner continued to build off his 2023 momentum by slashing .307/.424/.429 with five home runs in 324 plate appearances, with a higher BB% (16.7%) than K% (10.2%). Overall, he had a 122 wRC+ with Houston’s Pacific Coast League team.

It’s worth noting that the Pacific Coast League is a very hitter friendly league, as most team’s have a high altitude that allows the ball to carry. Still, it’s impressive numbers nonetheless.

Heading into the 2024 season, Wagner ranked as MLB Pipeline’s 13th-best Houston Astros’ prospect. Moreover, Baseball America ranked him as their 19th-best Astros’ prospect in the mid-season update. The 26-year-old’s MLB Pipeline report notes that his approach at the plate was one of the best in the system, drawing walks and reaching bases with hits despite not hitting high exit velocities. There’s some pop in the bat, but his bio notes he’ll hit 12-15 home runs at most.

Moreover, Wagner doesn’t have quick footspeed, and doesn’t really fit well at either second base or third base, thanks to his speed and arm respectively. Still, he profiles well as a utility player who can get on base, and we’ve seen the success Spencer Horwitz has had this season.

Like Bloss, the Blue Jays acquired an MLB-ready prospect for a rental pitcher who’s had a rough last two months. It’s a great piece of business.