Angels Promote Ex-Yankees Prospect for MLB Debut, Place Anthony Rendon and Ben Joyce on IL

A veteran reliever's season will end on the 60-day injured list.

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

On the same day closer Ben Joyce and Anthony Rendon on the injured list, the Angels have promoted former New York Yankees prospect Eric Wagaman. This will be Wagaman's first time in the major leagues.

The Angels also promoted Guillo Zuñiga from Triple-A Salt Lake, placed Rendon on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Saturday with a left oblique strain, and placed closer Ben Joyce on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation retroactive to Friday.

Julian Guilarte was first to report the news of Wagaman's promotion Tuesday:

MLB News: The Angels are calling up Utiltyman Eric Wagaman.

Wagaman started the season with the Angels in Double-A and spent his last 27 games in Triple-A. He is a former Yankees prospect that was lost in the Rule 5 draft this past offseason.

Stats: 17 HR | 60 RBI | .808 OPS

— Julian Guilarte (@JulianGuilarte1) September 10, 2024

Wagaman joined the Angels last December after the Angels drafted him in the Rule 5 Draft. He began the 2024 season with Double-A Rocket City, slashing .260/.335/.460 with 90 hits, 56 runs, 14 home runs, and 36 RBIs across 94 games in his first year with the Angels.

“This isn’t my first year in pro-ball so all the coaches here knew what my game was all about,” Wagaman said earlier this season with the Trash Pandas, via milb.com. “They encouraged me to be me and overall the transition’s been great.”

Wagaman was promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake in August, and has excelled so far with the Bees during his first action at the Triple-A level. Wagaman has slashed .320/.355/.500 with 32 hits, 15 runs, three home runs, and 14 RBIs in 27 games so far for Salt Lake.

Tune in to the Pre-Game Chat with Eric Wagaman (@ericwagss) before game three against the Sacramento River Cats. pic.twitter.com/MTj8y4if5h

— Salt Lake Bees (@SaltLakeBees) September 5, 2024

Prior to joining the Angels, Wagaman was the Yankees' 13th-round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. Wagaman, who is from SoCal and was drafted out of Orange Coast College, spent six years with the Yankees before returning home with the Angels.

#Angels are calling up SoCal native Eric Wagaman.

He was a rule 5 pick from the Yankees this year. Was drafted in 2017 out of Orange Coast College.

— Jared Tims (@Jared_Tims) September 10, 2024

The 27-year-old first baseman was first promoted to Double-A in the Yankees' organization in 2022, when he spent 17 games with Double-A, hitting .340 with four home runs and six RBIs. He then spent the entire 2023 season in Double-A, though only appeared in 35 games, slashing .320/.382/.500 with 39 hits, 20 runs, five home runs, and 16 RBIs.

Wagaman joins a number of Angels prospects that have been called up over the last month to earn experience in the majors. Pitchers Caden Dana and Sam Aldegheri have each made their debuts over the last few weeks, with each earning a win so far. Dana became the youngest Angels player to win in his debut, while Aldegheri became the first Italian-born pitcher to earn an MLB win since 1949.

In a corresponding 40-man roster move, injured reliever Matt Moore was transferred to the 60-day injured list, effectively ending his season.