The trade deadline brought many new faces to the Blue Jays top prospect list. Today’s article features a player who has already impacted Toronto’s big league team.

This is Blue Jays Nation’s annual Mid-Season top prospect list, where we’ll look at the 35 best prospects in the Blue Jays system. We’ll look at the player’s stats, my observations, and other publication’s scouting reports if available.
Let’s take a look at our 18th-best prospect, Will Wagner.
<h2>Getting to know Will Wagner…</h2>
Position: Infield
Bats: Left
Born: July 29, 1998
Acquired: Trade with the Houston Astros
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Prior to the 2024 trade deadline, the Blue Jays sent Yusei Kikuchi to the Houston Astros in exchange for Wagner, Jake Bloss, and Joey Loperfido. The latter won&#8217;t be this list as he&#8217;s graduated. But let&#8217;s take a look at Wagner&#8217;s professional career prior to the trade.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
OFFICIAL: We’ve acquired RHP Jake Bloss, OF Joey Loperfido, and INF Will Wagner from the Astros in exchange for LHP Yusei Kikuchi. 
Welcome to our <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueJays</a> family! <a href="https://t.co/xmU9LXipjU">pic.twitter.com/xmU9LXipjU</a>
&mdash; Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/1818121883113476409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Will Wanger was drafted in the 19th-round by the Houston Astros in 2021 from Liberty University, the same school Blue Jays’ relief prospect Mason Fluharty played. Wagner had solid numbers after the draft, slashing .299/.388/.436 with two home runs in 134 plate appearances with two home runs, along with an 11.9 BB% and a 24.6 K%.
Between High-A and Double-A the following season, Wagner 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+. Wagner’s breakout year was in 2023, where he slashed .309/.385/.507 with seven home runs in 234 plate appearances with Houston’s Double-A team.
The good times kept rolling before the trade, as Wagner was slashing .307/.424/.429 with five home runs in 324 plate appearances, along with a higher BB% (16.1%) than K% (10.2%). In his brief tenure in Buffalo, he slashed .400/.516/.600 with a home run in 31 plate appearances before being recalled by the Blue Jays.
With Toronto, Wagner is slashing .329/.347/.493 with two home runs in 75 plate appearances. Notably, he’s only walked twice with the Jays (2.7 BB%) while he’s struck out 17.3% of the time. Still, he has an impressive 138 wRC+ and 0.6 fWAR in under 100 plate appearances.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Will Power ‼️
It&#39;s Will Wagner&#39;s first <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MLB</a> home run! <a href="https://t.co/aB64rQrTx3">pic.twitter.com/aB64rQrTx3</a>
&mdash; Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/1828597296835051599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Wagner ranked as MLB Pipeline’s 19th-best prospect in their mid-season update. He has great baseball IQ and an excellent approach at the plate that leads to good contact rates. Wagner is a similar profile hitter to Spencer Horwitz, as he isn’t afraid to shoot the ball the other way. There’s some power in the bat, but he likely won’t hit the 20-home run mark in his career. Defensively, he’s best used as a utility infielder.
<hr />
<h2>In case you missed it…</h2>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2024-mid-season-top-35-prospect-countdown-no-35-peyton-williams">No. 35: Peyton Williams</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2024-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-34-victor-arias">No. 34: Victor Arias</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2024-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-33-sean-keys">No. 33: Sean Keys</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2024-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-32-randy-soto">No. 32: Randy Soto</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2024-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-31-trenton-wallace">No. 31: Trenton Wallace</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-30-jace-bohrofen">No. 30: Jace Bohrofen</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-29-will-robertson">No. 29: Will Robertson</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-28-yohendrick-pinango">No. 28: Yohendrick Piñango</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-27-eddinson-paulino">No. 27: Eddinson Paulino</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-26-juaron-watts-brown">No. 26: Juaron Watts-Brown</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-25-cutter-coffey">No. 25: Cutter Coffey</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-24-dahian-santos">No. 24: Dahian Santos</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/2024/09/02/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-23-damiano-palmegiani">No. 23: Damiano Palmegiani</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-22-dasan-brown">No. 22: Dasan Brown</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-21-brandon-barriera">No. 21: Brandon Barriera</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-20-josh-kasevich">No. 20: Josh Kasevich</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-19-johnny-king-iv">No. 19: Johnny King IV</a>
<hr />
As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.

The trade deadline brought many new faces to the Blue Jays top prospect list. Today’s article features a player who has already impacted Toronto’s big league team.



This is Blue Jays Nation’s annual Mid-Season top prospect list, where we’ll look at the 35 best prospects in the Blue Jays system. We’ll look at the player’s stats, my observations, and other publication’s scouting reports if available.

Let’s take a look at our 18th-best prospect, Will Wagner.
<h2>Getting to know Will Wagner…</h2>
Position: Infield

Bats: Left

Born: July 29, 1998

Acquired: Trade with the Houston Astros

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Prior to the 2024 trade deadline, the Blue Jays sent Yusei Kikuchi to the Houston Astros in exchange for Wagner, Jake Bloss, and Joey Loperfido. The latter won't be this list as he's graduated. But let's take a look at Wagner's professional career prior to the trade.

https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/1818121883113476409

Will Wanger was drafted in the 19th-round by the Houston Astros in 2021 from Liberty University, the same school Blue Jays’ relief prospect Mason Fluharty played. Wagner had solid numbers after the draft, slashing .299/.388/.436 with two home runs in 134 plate appearances with two home runs, along with an 11.9 BB% and a 24.6 K%.

Between High-A and Double-A the following season, Wagner 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+. Wagner’s breakout year was in 2023, where he slashed .309/.385/.507 with seven home runs in 234 plate appearances with Houston’s Double-A team.

The good times kept rolling before the trade, as Wagner was slashing .307/.424/.429 with five home runs in 324 plate appearances, along with a higher BB% (16.1%) than K% (10.2%). In his brief tenure in Buffalo, he slashed .400/.516/.600 with a home run in 31 plate appearances before being recalled by the Blue Jays.

With Toronto, Wagner is slashing .329/.347/.493 with two home runs in 75 plate appearances. Notably, he’s only walked twice with the Jays (2.7 BB%) while he’s struck out 17.3% of the time. Still, he has an impressive 138 wRC+ and 0.6 fWAR in under 100 plate appearances.

https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/1828597296835051599

Wagner ranked as MLB Pipeline’s 19th-best prospect in their mid-season update. He has great baseball IQ and an excellent approach at the plate that leads to good contact rates. Wagner is a similar profile hitter to Spencer Horwitz, as he isn’t afraid to shoot the ball the other way. There’s some power in the bat, but he likely won’t hit the 20-home run mark in his career. Defensively, he’s best used as a utility infielder.

<hr />

<h2>In case you missed it…</h2>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2024-mid-season-top-35-prospect-countdown-no-35-peyton-williams">No. 35: Peyton Williams</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2024-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-34-victor-arias">No. 34: Victor Arias</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2024-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-33-sean-keys">No. 33: Sean Keys</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2024-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-32-randy-soto">No. 32: Randy Soto</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2024-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-31-trenton-wallace">No. 31: Trenton Wallace</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-30-jace-bohrofen">No. 30: Jace Bohrofen</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-29-will-robertson">No. 29: Will Robertson</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-28-yohendrick-pinango">No. 28: Yohendrick Piñango</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-27-eddinson-paulino">No. 27: Eddinson Paulino</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-26-juaron-watts-brown">No. 26: Juaron Watts-Brown</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-25-cutter-coffey">No. 25: Cutter Coffey</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-24-dahian-santos">No. 24: Dahian Santos</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/2024/09/02/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-23-damiano-palmegiani">No. 23: Damiano Palmegiani</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-22-dasan-brown">No. 22: Dasan Brown</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-21-brandon-barriera">No. 21: Brandon Barriera</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-20-josh-kasevich">No. 20: Josh Kasevich</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-mid-season-prospect-countdown-no-19-johnny-king-iv">No. 19: Johnny King IV</a>

<hr />

As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.

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