The 2022 MLB Draft for the Baltimore Orioles was highlighted by one name, the No. 1 overall pick, Jackson Holliday.
However, later in that draft, the Orioles selected the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year with the 42nd overall pick. Let’s dive into the O’s No. 23 prospect, infielder Max Wagner, on this edition of Prospect Profiles.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40
Wagner attended Clemson University as a freshman in 2021. After going hitless in his first professional game, he got his first collegiate hit against East Tennessee State on March 2, 2021. That first hit would be a home run.
His freshman year wouldn’t be too crazy, as he slashed .214/.305/.345 with a .650 OPS in just 35 games. He collected 18 hits, five doubles, two home runs and knocked in nine RBIs.
Wagner’s sophomore year showed the potential that the former Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year possessed. Despite a slow start, Wagner picked it up with a career night against Hartford, posting a four-hit, five-RBI night in a 28-3 Clemson win.
It would be one of Wagner’s three games in which he collected four hits in one game. He would also have five games with two home runs and four games with five or more RBIs.
Wagner would play in 84 games and slash .369/.496/.852 with a 1.348 OPS, collecting 75 total hits, 15 doubles, a triple and 27 home runs. He also tallied 76 RBIs, walked 45 times and was hit by a pitch eight times.
The Green Bay native would be ranked 66th by MLB Pipeline entering the 2022 MLB Draft.
Wagner would make his professional debut on August 13, 2022, with a two-hit, two-RBI night in rookie ball. His rookie ball time would last just one game, as after that game, he would be called up to the Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds and would eventually finish the season with the High-A Aberdeen IronBirds. He finished the 2022 season with a .739 OPS, 17 hits and six extra-base hits in just 19 games.
Wagner would have his first full season in 2023, where he would spend the majority of the year with the IronBirds and end the season with a brief stint with the Double-A Bowie Baysox.
He would slash .239/.342/.405 with a .747 OP in 107 games and collect 98 total hits, 21 doubles, four triples and 13 homers while knocking in 54 RBIs. He would also showcase his speed with 27 stolen bases in 33 attempts.
Wagner would have an injury-filled 2024 season, as he was put on the IL on June 28 with a lower back injury. The 23-year-old played just 25 games, and he really struggled, hitting just .151 and having an OPS of .503.
Wagner is a strong right-handed hitter with a short, quick swing and some power, though probably not the record-setting pop he displayed in college. He’s seen as at least above average at third base with good range and plus arm strength. He also showed well at second, where he played more than a quarter of his games in 2023.
Keep an eye on Wagner in 2025 coming off that injury-plagued year. Likely to start the season in Bowie, it wouldn’t shock anyone if he makes his big league debut sometime late next season if he has a torrid extended stretch.
What are your thoughts on O’s No. 23 overall prospect, Max Wagner? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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