Who Is Will Wagner? How Billy Wagner’s Son Went from 18th Round Draft Pick to a Toronto Blue Jays Star

The Toronto Blue Jays continue to be the favorite home of second-generation players. From Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to Bo Bichette, the number of MLB babies is ever-increasing in that clubhouse. Now, Will Wagner has become the latest inductee in that club. The son of the legendary Billy Wagner, Will just made his debut last night, and unsurprisingly, he went 3-for-4 in his very first game. That electrifying debut makes one wonder – just where was Will Wagner all these years?

More importantly, the question arises- How did Wagner prove everyone wrong after being given a lowly draft position? Well, the story of Wagner is just as interesting as his debut. Despite being the son of an amazing pitcher, Wagner decided to try his hands on hitting. Ever since his baseball debut, he has shown why that decision of his was right. So, how did Will Wagner become a major leaguer, and why was he known as a base machine in minor leagues?

Will Wagner electrify the minor leagues despite his low draft position?

The year was 2021, and MLB teams were once again getting ready for drafts. But as everyone knows the core attention went to those players who were chosen during the first round. Sadly, Will Wagner was not one of those players. In fact, he wasn’t even chosen in the 2nd or 3rd round or even the 10th round! Interesting, right? Ultimately, Wagner was picked in the 18th round and it wasn’t the Blue Jays who drafted him, but the Houston Astros.

That certainly didn’t bode well for Will Wagner’s long-term baseball future, or so everyone thought. He started playing the Fayetteville Woodpeckers and slowly began moving up the order. Season by season, it became clear that Will Wagner was something special. The young man was not only constantly getting on base (his minor league OBP is .402) but also being aggressive (.843 OPS). That ultimately led to the Astros inviting him for Spring Training in 2023. 

Though, Billy Wagner’s son isn’t a power hitter (He has hit just 25 Home runs in his entire minor league career), he more than makes up for it with his base hits (125 RBI). That was one of the reasons why he quickly became a prospect to look forward to within the Astros system. But then, the need for playoffs ultimately led to the Astronauts trading away Will Wagner to the Toronto Blue Jays for Yusei Kikuchi. And that turned out to be a blessing for Wagner.

Toronto Blue Jays debut and instant impact 

The 26-year-old was immediately sent to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. However, in just seven games he showed the Jays management that he was ready for more. Wagner slashed .400/.516/.600 in the Bisons and was thus called up. But before that a jolt of nervousness hit him, he couldn’t stop shaking when he was informed of his call-up. “I thought it was pretty cool. My hands were shaking when I was teaching. I was like, ‘Wow, this is really special’,” Wagner said, and it really was.

After all, Will Wagner was about to continue two different legacies. First of his father Billy Wagner (who fell short by just 5 votes in the 2024 Hall of Fame voting). Second of the Toronto Blue Jays, which has become a hub of second-generation players. And it wasn’t hidden from Wagner. “I did think it was pretty cool where everyone has come through and had some history with the big leagues,” the rookie said about his teammates, adding, “I mean, it’s a little bit different when your dad’s already had a big league time, and you’re kind of going through the system.”

In a way, it was nothing new for Will but then it was also an experience not many can relate with. But then with a 3-for-4 game, Wagner showed that he belonged to the big leagues. Perhaps that is all that matters for the 26-year-old right now. From the 18th round to the major leagues – the journey has been quite long for Wagner, and hopefully, his stay in the MLB will also be a long one.

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