The Toronto Blue Jays have made another transaction.

On Friday afternoon, it was reported that they signed left-handed pitcher Josh Walker to a big league deal worth $760,000. In turn, they designated homegrown pitching prospect Hagen Danner for assignment.
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Blue Jays signed lefty Josh Walker to a big-league deal worth $760k per team. The 30-year-old made 10 appearances for the Mets last year while spending most of the season at AAA.
Hagen Danner DFA.
&mdash; Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/bnicholsonsmith/status/1870225722209452326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Walker, 30, was selected in the 37th round of the 2017 out of college and made his debut in 2023 with the Mets. That season, he had an 8.10 ERA and a 5.26 FIP in 10 innings pitched, with a 25 K% and a 12.5 BB%. Last season in the big leagues, Walker finished the season with a 5.11 ERA and a 3.90 FIP in 12.1 innings pitched, with a 20 K% and a 10.9 BB%.
The left-handed pitcher’s numbers were better with the Syracuse Mets of the International League (Triple-A), finishing his tenure with the team posting a 2.83 ERA and a 4.16 FIP in 28.2 innings pitched, along with a 31 K% and a 16.7 BB%.
Before the trade deadline, Walker was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and was designated for assignment and released shortly after. However, Walker re-signed to a minor league deal five days later and had an 8 ERA and a 4.35 FIP in nine innings pitched with Pittsburgh&#8217;s Triple-A team, along with a 28.9 K% and a 2.6 BB% in the final month and change of the season.
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<a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/josh-walker-677020?stats=career-r-pitching-milb">According to Baseball Savant</a>, Walker’s fastball averages 94.2 mph but plays up due to his 97th-percentile extension. Still, his heater had a Run Value of -4 this past season. On the other hand, his mid-80s curve had a Run Value of 3, while his two-seamer had a Run Value of 1. The building blocks are certainly there for a good reliever, considering he has options for next season and hasn’t hit his arbitration years.
It’s a bittersweet signing though, as Hagen Danner was designated for assignment to make room for Walker. Danner was selected in the second round of the 2017 draft as a catcher but eventually transitioned to the bullpen in 2020. After a terrific 2021 season with the High-A Vancouver Canadians, the Jays added him to the 40-man roster thanks to his mid-to-high-90s fastball and excellent slider.
Unfortunately, the right-handed pitcher missed most of the 2022 season with an injury, before posting a 3.81 ERA and a 5.51 FIP in 28.1 innings pitched with the Buffalo Bisons in 2023, with a 31.5 K% and a 6.3 BB%. In August of that year, Danner was called up to the big leagues, where he pitched a third of an inning before suffering a season-ending injury.
Danner pitched with the Bisons in 2024, missing a part of the season due to injury. When healthy, he had good results as the 26-year-old finished with a 3.15 ERA and a 4.24 FIP in 34.1 innings pitched, with a 23.3 K% and an 8.9 BB%.
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As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.
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The Toronto Blue Jays have made another transaction.



On Friday afternoon, it was reported that they signed left-handed pitcher Josh Walker to a big league deal worth $760,000. In turn, they designated homegrown pitching prospect Hagen Danner for assignment.

https://twitter.com/bnicholsonsmith/status/1870225722209452326

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Walker, 30, was selected in the 37th round of the 2017 out of college and made his debut in 2023 with the Mets. That season, he had an 8.10 ERA and a 5.26 FIP in 10 innings pitched, with a 25 K% and a 12.5 BB%. Last season in the big leagues, Walker finished the season with a 5.11 ERA and a 3.90 FIP in 12.1 innings pitched, with a 20 K% and a 10.9 BB%.

The left-handed pitcher’s numbers were better with the Syracuse Mets of the International League (Triple-A), finishing his tenure with the team posting a 2.83 ERA and a 4.16 FIP in 28.2 innings pitched, along with a 31 K% and a 16.7 BB%.

Before the trade deadline, Walker was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and was designated for assignment and released shortly after. However, Walker re-signed to a minor league deal five days later and had an 8 ERA and a 4.35 FIP in nine innings pitched with Pittsburgh's Triple-A team, along with a 28.9 K% and a 2.6 BB% in the final month and change of the season.
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<a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/josh-walker-677020?stats=career-r-pitching-milb">According to Baseball Savant</a>, Walker’s fastball averages 94.2 mph but plays up due to his 97th-percentile extension. Still, his heater had a Run Value of -4 this past season. On the other hand, his mid-80s curve had a Run Value of 3, while his two-seamer had a Run Value of 1. The building blocks are certainly there for a good reliever, considering he has options for next season and hasn’t hit his arbitration years.

It’s a bittersweet signing though, as Hagen Danner was designated for assignment to make room for Walker. Danner was selected in the second round of the 2017 draft as a catcher but eventually transitioned to the bullpen in 2020. After a terrific 2021 season with the High-A Vancouver Canadians, the Jays added him to the 40-man roster thanks to his mid-to-high-90s fastball and excellent slider.

Unfortunately, the right-handed pitcher missed most of the 2022 season with an injury, before posting a 3.81 ERA and a 5.51 FIP in 28.1 innings pitched with the Buffalo Bisons in 2023, with a 31.5 K% and a 6.3 BB%. In August of that year, Danner was called up to the big leagues, where he pitched a third of an inning before suffering a season-ending injury.

Danner pitched with the Bisons in 2024, missing a part of the season due to injury. When healthy, he had good results as the 26-year-old finished with a 3.15 ERA and a 4.24 FIP in 34.1 innings pitched, with a 23.3 K% and an 8.9 BB%.

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As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

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