Drafted in the 9th round (288th overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 2005 (signed for $90,000).
View Draft Report
As a 29th-round draft pick of the Braves out of high school and a member of the 2002 Connie Mack World Series champion Long Beach Cardinals, there were high expectations for Wagner when he entered UC Irvine. But he hit a combined .279 his first two years and struggled behind the plate. This year, he has been one of the most improved college players in the state. He shortened his swing, was hitting .362 with a lot of quality at-bats, and had struck out 11 times in 185 plate appearances while settling into the No. 3 hole in the Irvine lineup. His improvement also carried over to the defensive side, as he has caught the ball much better and had thrown out more runners. His arm strength isn't what it was in high school, but he has compensated with a quicker release. Wagner has lost some athleticism as his lower half has thickened, but he is durable behind the plate and built for the daily grind of catching.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
He gets overlooked in comparison to Tim Federowicz and Luis Exposito, but some club officials believe that Wagner is the organization's best catching prospect. He has a more consistent approach and is more effective at nabbing basestealers than Federowicz and Exposito. Wagner shook off a dreadful 2008 season at Portland and conquered Double-A pitching last year, though he missed three weeks with a strained hamstring and later struggled in his first taste of Triple-A. He controls the strike zone well, using a flat stroke to mainly serve line drives to the opposite field. He consistently gets on base and has some power, mostly to the gaps. Wagner enhances his average arm strength with a quick release and tremendous accuracy, allowing him to throw out 47 percent of basestealers in 2009. He has become an average receiver through hard work, and Jason Varitek lauded his blocking skills during spring training last year. Wagner could use more strength because he tends to get worn down late in the season. Typical of a catcher, he's a below-average runner. He's not dazzling, but Wagner should be at least a solid big league backup and possibly a regular. He'll spend this season in Triple-A, with a late-season callup a possibility.
Though he endured the worst full season of his pro career and Luis Exposito passed him as the system's best catching prospect, the Red Sox still think Wagner will become at least a big league backup. He's the best defensive catcher in the system, even if his pure tools are no better than average. He enhances his arm strength with a quick release, which enabled him to throw out 41 percent of basestealers in Double-A. He has worked very hard to improved his blocking and receiving, and he calls a good game. How much Wagner develops with the bat will determine how much he eventually plays in the majors. He has an unusual approach, stepping in the bucket and trying to serve balls to the opposite field with a flat stroke. While he'll always be more of a gap hitter than a home run threat, Wagner needs to get stronger so he can turn some of his harmless fly balls into doubles. After walking nearly as much as he struck out in his first three pro seasons, he didn't maintain the same plate discipline in 2008. Boston may send him back to Double-A for at least the start of 2009 so he can get his bat going, and he could surface in the majors at some point in 2010.
The only unsettled long-term position on the Red Sox is catcher, where there's no clear heir apparent to Jason Varitek. Wagner is the leading candidate to fill that role, as he has the most well-rounded game among a group of catching prospects that also includes Dusty Brown, Jon Egan, George Kottaras, Jon Still and Tyler Weeden. A ninth-round pick in 2005, Wagner has improved in each of his seasons in the system. He initially stood out with his work behind the plate. Wagner may not have a plus defensive tool, but he's solid across the board. With average arm strength and a hair-trigger release, he threw out 35 percent of basestealers in 2007. He also gets the job done as a receiver and game-caller. When Wagner first signed, his stance was too spread out and he had a defensive swing. He now stands more upright and has become more aggressive without sacrificing any of his tremendous plate discipline. Lancaster did help his power numbers (which included a career-high 14 homers) but he did hit .281 with 36 doubles the previous season. He's not going to be an offensive force, but Wagner will hit at least enough to be a big league backup. He's a typical catcher in that he doesn't run well. His blue-collar makeup helps Wagner get the most out of his abilities. He'll move up to Double-A for 2008.
Best Tools List
Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Boston Red Sox in 2009
Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Boston Red Sox in 2008
Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Boston Red Sox in 2007
Download our app
Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone