<p style="font-weight: 400;">The Toronto Blue Jays are getting closer to the start of what is sure to be an eventful season. The team is determined to get back to relevancy with familiar and some new faces.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">One of the newer faces in the organization who will be looking to build upon their 2024 resume is <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-40-man-roster-review-will-wagner-had-a-nice-big-league-debut-at-the-end-of-the-2024-season">Will Wagner</a>, who turned heads during a 24-game MLB debut in 2024.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">The son of newly minted Hall of Famer Billy Wagner, Will came to the Jays in the trade that also netted outfielder <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/the-blue-jays-starting-left-field-job-is-joey-loperfidos-to-lose">Joey Loperfido</a> and pitcher <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-40-man-roster-review-jake-bloss-is-the-next-starter-up-for-the-team">Jake Bloss</a> for southpaw Yusei Kikuchi at last year&#8217;s trade deadline. The 26-year-old played all but three major league innings at second base, a position expected to be primarily manned by three-time Gold Glove winner Andrés Giménez.</p>
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<p style="font-weight: 400;">So where does that leave Wagner, who hit .305 with a .788 OPS over 82 at-bats in 2025?</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">He can play corner infield and has a reasonable amount of experience at those spots in the minor leagues. Considering that he looks like a professional hitter with no natural everyday fit in the lineup, Wagner should also be in the designated hitter mix, along with <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-vladimir-guerrero-jrs-extension-timeline-continues-to-draw-near-without-a-long-term-contract-in-place">Vladimir Guerrero Jr.</a>, George Springer, Anthony Santander, and Alejandro Kirk(when he isn&#8217;t behind the plate).</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Will Wagner, the son of former closer Billy Wagner, rips a double on the first pitch he sees in The Show! <a href="https://t.co/AWjGMd7ffg">pic.twitter.com/AWjGMd7ffg</a></p>
<p>&mdash; MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1823177503076196704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">The projections have differing views on how Wagner’s 2025 season will unfold, but Fangraphs ZiPS is the most favourable. The projection says Wagner will hit .271 with seven home runs, 21 doubles, 49 RBI, and a .739 OPS. ZiPS also projects that Wagner will author a .319 BABIP and a solid walk rate at 10.1%, slotting behind only Guerrero Jr. and Davis Schneider on the rankings. His 115 wRC+ would be near the top of the list while producing a 2.4 fWAR, which would be a solid value for a player going through their first full campaign in the big leagues. Wagner could be the lefty bat in a first-base platoon with Vladdy and Ernie Clement at third while also holding value as a bench bat.</p>
<p>What makes Wagner an interesting candidate for the DH spot is that he would not be the prototypical power hitter one expects but rather be an on-base machine, something the former Astros farmhand has a solid track record of during his minor league tenure.</p>
<p>Last season, he produced a .339 BABIP across 77 games at the triple-A level and forced the Jays&#8217; hand when it came to a late-season call-up, as he just kept finding ways to get on base. He produced a 16.6% walk rate while keeping the strikeouts in check and produced a collective .315/.432/.444 slash line with a 130 wRC+.</p>
<p>The downside is that lack of power, where Wagner produced just six home runs and a .129 ISO, but in the Major Leagues the left-handed batter found some success with driving the ball, collecting two homers through 86 plate appearances and bumping his ISO up a few points to a .146 mark. The sample size differs and should be taken into consideration but the early prognosis is intriguing, especially if the Jays find an outside addition for the hot corner and still want to use Wagner&#8217;s bat every day.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">WILL WAGNER 419 FOOT BOMB. THERE GOES THAT MAN  <a href="https://t.co/nnaSkwL7ED">pic.twitter.com/nnaSkwL7ED</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Gate 14 Podcast (@Gate14Pod) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gate14Pod/status/1830044066110681554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">If the Blue Jays want to go after a more traditional DH, J.D. Martinez (ZiPS projection: .730 OPS, 16 HR) is still available, although signing him would put a dent in the team’s roster flexibility considering he is a &#8216;DH only&#8217; type of player at this point in his career. A more natural fit would be an outfielder who can fit into the DH rotation, like Adam Duvall, Mark Canha, or Robbie Grossman, although each player comes with their own set of pros and cons and are in the twilight of their respective careers and have less favourable projections for the upcoming season.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">The front office has been high on Wagner and his ability to be a productive hitter. The time is now for him to capitalize on his promise and breakthrough with a season that eclipses the modest projections attached to him.</p>
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Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Will Wagner (7) runs after hitting a double against the Los Angeles Angels during the third inning at Angel Stadium.

<p style="font-weight: 400;">The Toronto Blue Jays are getting closer to the start of what is sure to be an eventful season. The team is determined to get back to relevancy with familiar and some new faces.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">One of the newer faces in the organization who will be looking to build upon their 2024 resume is <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-40-man-roster-review-will-wagner-had-a-nice-big-league-debut-at-the-end-of-the-2024-season">Will Wagner</a>, who turned heads during a 24-game MLB debut in 2024.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">The son of newly minted Hall of Famer Billy Wagner, Will came to the Jays in the trade that also netted outfielder <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/the-blue-jays-starting-left-field-job-is-joey-loperfidos-to-lose">Joey Loperfido</a> and pitcher <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-40-man-roster-review-jake-bloss-is-the-next-starter-up-for-the-team">Jake Bloss</a> for southpaw Yusei Kikuchi at last year's trade deadline. The 26-year-old played all but three major league innings at second base, a position expected to be primarily manned by three-time Gold Glove winner Andrés Giménez.</p>

<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="330" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="“web-content-promocard&quot;"></div>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">So where does that leave Wagner, who hit .305 with a .788 OPS over 82 at-bats in 2025?</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">He can play corner infield and has a reasonable amount of experience at those spots in the minor leagues. Considering that he looks like a professional hitter with no natural everyday fit in the lineup, Wagner should also be in the designated hitter mix, along with <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-vladimir-guerrero-jrs-extension-timeline-continues-to-draw-near-without-a-long-term-contract-in-place">Vladimir Guerrero Jr.</a>, George Springer, Anthony Santander, and Alejandro Kirk(when he isn't behind the plate).</p>
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1823177503076196704
<p style="font-weight: 400;">The projections have differing views on how Wagner’s 2025 season will unfold, but Fangraphs ZiPS is the most favourable. The projection says Wagner will hit .271 with seven home runs, 21 doubles, 49 RBI, and a .739 OPS. ZiPS also projects that Wagner will author a .319 BABIP and a solid walk rate at 10.1%, slotting behind only Guerrero Jr. and Davis Schneider on the rankings. His 115 wRC+ would be near the top of the list while producing a 2.4 fWAR, which would be a solid value for a player going through their first full campaign in the big leagues. Wagner could be the lefty bat in a first-base platoon with Vladdy and Ernie Clement at third while also holding value as a bench bat.</p>
What makes Wagner an interesting candidate for the DH spot is that he would not be the prototypical power hitter one expects but rather be an on-base machine, something the former Astros farmhand has a solid track record of during his minor league tenure.

Last season, he produced a .339 BABIP across 77 games at the triple-A level and forced the Jays' hand when it came to a late-season call-up, as he just kept finding ways to get on base. He produced a 16.6% walk rate while keeping the strikeouts in check and produced a collective .315/.432/.444 slash line with a 130 wRC+.

The downside is that lack of power, where Wagner produced just six home runs and a .129 ISO, but in the Major Leagues the left-handed batter found some success with driving the ball, collecting two homers through 86 plate appearances and bumping his ISO up a few points to a .146 mark. The sample size differs and should be taken into consideration but the early prognosis is intriguing, especially if the Jays find an outside addition for the hot corner and still want to use Wagner's bat every day.

https://twitter.com/Gate14Pod/status/1830044066110681554
<p style="font-weight: 400;">If the Blue Jays want to go after a more traditional DH, J.D. Martinez (ZiPS projection: .730 OPS, 16 HR) is still available, although signing him would put a dent in the team’s roster flexibility considering he is a 'DH only' type of player at this point in his career. A more natural fit would be an outfielder who can fit into the DH rotation, like Adam Duvall, Mark Canha, or Robbie Grossman, although each player comes with their own set of pros and cons and are in the twilight of their respective careers and have less favourable projections for the upcoming season.</p>
<p style="font-weight: 400;">The front office has been high on Wagner and his ability to be a productive hitter. The time is now for him to capitalize on his promise and breakthrough with a season that eclipses the modest projections attached to him.</p>


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Exploring if the Blue Jays should use Will Wagner as the designated hitter this season

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