Wagner Impresses in Strong Start In Spring Training With Houston Astros

Houston Astros prospect Will Wagner impressed in his MLB Spring Training debut.

Will Wagner had two hits for the Houston Astros in his spring training debut on Saturday.

Will’s father, Billy, had two total hits in a 16-year career which is likely to land him in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Will made a stellar play at third base in the sixth inning against the New York Mets and added two hits, including a double.

Not bad for a non-roster invitee.

“I made the play and I was like, ‘OK, yeah, I’m here and I can do this. I can calm down now,’” Will Wagner told reporters. “My anxiety was going. I was ready for anything and once it came to me, I said, ‘I can handle this.'"

The Astros drafted Will in the 18th round out of Liberty University in 2021.

Will, a left-handed-hitting infielder, slashed .261/.374/.394 with 10 home runs and 53 RBI in 117 Minor League games between High-A Asheville and Double-A Corpus Christi last season.

He finished second in the Arizona Fall League in OPS (1.145) slashing .346/.433/.712 with three homers and 15 RBI in 52 at-bats.

“It’s good to be back out there, playing against different teams,” Will said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been out there to do that. It was fun. The adrenaline got me going."

To be fair, Billy Wagner didn’t hit much. That’s because he was not allowing the batters to record hits too often.

Wagner compiled 422 saves in a highly-successful 16-year career with the Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Mets, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves.

Wagner ranks sixth all-time behind Mariano Rivera (652), Trevor Hoffman (601), Lee Smith (478), Francisco Rodriguez (437) and John Franco (424).

Wagner earned 225 of those saves in nine seasons with the Astros and 59 saves in two seasons with the Phillies.

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