Toronto Blue Jays Prospect Will Wagner Pegged as AL Rookie of the Year Contender

Will Wagner looked promising in his MLB debut in 2024, and he is expected to bounce back from a knee injury and show out again as the Toronto Blue Jays’ full-time second baseman in 2025.

Aug 19, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Will Wagner (7) throws to first base for a double play after forcing out Cincinnati Reds third baseman Santiago Espinal (4) in the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

While most of the Blue Jays' focus this offseason has been centered around top free agents and critical contract extensions, their next breakout star may be coming from inside the house.

MLB.com’s Sam Dykstra, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo joined forces this week to predict each team’s top Rookie of the Year contender for 2025. Their selection for the Blue Jays was infielder Will Wagner, who retained his rookie eligibility after appearing in 24 big league contests in 2024.

Wagner showed out during his limited time in the Blue Jays' lineup, batting .305 with two home runs, six doubles, 11 RBI, a .788 OPS and a 0.7 WAR. The 26-year-old, who saw most of his time at second base, had three hits in his MLB debut and seven hits across his first three appearances.

A knee injury cut Wagner's season short, and he underwent surgery to repair it in September. That procedure was only going to sideline him for a month, though, so he should be 100% by the start of Spring Training.

The Blue Jays acquired Wagner from the Houston Astros in July when they traded away veteran starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi. Outfielder Joey Loperfido and pitching prospect Jake Bloss also came over as part of the deal, and they were the more high-profile additions out of the trio.

Wagner is only ranked as the No. 18 prospect in Toronto's farm system.

Still, Wagner has hit .325 with 16 home runs, 41 doubles, six triples, 96 RBI, 10 stolen bases and a .922 OPS in the minors since breaking out in the 2022 Arizona Fall League. He is also the son of former Astros, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets closer Billy Wagner, who is entering his final year of the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot.

Since Billy Wagner fell just five votes shy of Cooperstown last winter, many are projecting the seven-time All-Star to make it across the finish line in 2025. It would mark quite the year for the Wagner family if Billy was inducted into the Hall of Fame in July, then his son won AL Rookie of the Year in November.

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