MESA, Ariz. — Shortly after the Glendale Desert Canine completed their high-five line following Tuesday’s Arizona Fall League victory, Logan Wagner did a handstand and walked ahead on his palms behind dwelling plate.
If that was only a transient glimpse into the power the Dodgers’ No. 30 prospect possesses, his first at-bat through the membership’s 15-9 win over Mesa at Sloan Park on Wednesday afternoon was far more emphatic. After falling behind within the rely, 0-2, in opposition to A’s right-hander Corey Avant, the switch-hitting infielder drew even earlier than he walloped a curveball 407 toes onto the right-field berm.
Wagner’s second dwelling run of the Fall League got here off the bat at 107.7 mph, which on the time marked his hardest-hit ball throughout his month-plus run with Glendale. That mark lasted all of three innings. He ripped a 111.2 mph opposite-field single within the fifth, giving him 4 RBIs within the contest whereas additionally inserting him among the many prime 30 highest exit velocities recorded on the circuit this 12 months.
Coming into 2025, Wagner had been a professional for 3 years, but had solely performed in a mixed 57 contests. A damaged proper hamate ended his ‘23 marketing campaign within the Rookie-level Arizona Advanced League virtually as quickly because it started and a left hamate fracture the next 12 months curtailed his first style of full-season ball with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.
Which is why, even after 122 regular-season video games for Excessive-A Nice Lakes, the 21-year-old has embraced enjoying nicely into November.
“Simply taking good care of the physique, consuming the fitting stuff, getting time within the gymnasium, protecting your power up is tremendous vital,” Wagner mentioned of how he’s stayed so contemporary. “Simply all of the little issues lead me as much as this second.”
The present second has Wagner on one of many largest phases attainable for prospects. He’s lengthy sought to problem himself on the diamond, going so far as transferring from his Chicago-area highschool to P27 Academy in South Carolina with a view to face superior competitors previous to the 2022 Draft. It labored, because the Dodgers took notice and popped him within the sixth spherical, signing him for greater than double slot to forgo his Louisville dedication.
Regardless of his consolation with the group, Wagner went some time with out feeling like himself within the field. The switch-hitter has lengthy been extremely regarded for his uncooked energy from each side of the dish, however unable to totally get to it after the hamate accidents zapped his pop. He figured if he couldn’t swing the bat, he would use his down time to enhance different aspects of his recreation.
“Simply engaged on the psychological recreation aspect of baseball was large,” Wagner mentioned. “And I’m studying it nonetheless. Baserunning, too. Since I could not hit, I did a variety of baserunning [work], so studying that aspect of my recreation was actually cool as a result of I’ve by no means had an opportunity to sit down down, chill out and really research and be taught it.”
Wagner has confirmed to be a fast research. He won’t ever be an elite risk on the basepaths, however he swiped 18 baggage on 21 makes an attempt through the common season with Nice Lakes and added his second steal (in as many tries) for Glendale on Wednesday. The 21-year-old completed the 12 months as certainly one of six Dodgers prospects to compile no less than 15 homers and 15 steals, racking up 70 wRC per FanGraphs, which tied him with fellow Loons standout and Dodgers No. 1 prospect Josue De Paula.
For many of the season, Wagner bought a front-row seat to hitting behind two of the premier offensive prospects not solely in Los Angeles’ system, however all of Minor League Baseball: De Paula (MLB No. 13) and Zyhir Hope (LAD No. 2/MLB No. 20). For stretch of the season, the guts of the Nice Lakes order — in some type or vogue — typically learn De Paula, Hope, Wagner, a hyper-talented group that’s seemingly solely simply starting to scratch its collective floor.
“Wonderful, nice dudes,” mentioned Wagner of the pair. “They’re all the time doing harm to the baseball in entrance of me, in order that they’re all the time on base or working across the bases. It was a really particular group to be part of, for certain.”
The Fall League gives Wagner one other top-tier group to be taught from. He typically shares an infield with Atlanta’s Nacho Alvarez Jr., who has had 218 Main League at-bats. There’s MLB’s No. 35 prospect Braden Montgomery (CWS No. 1) in the midst of the order. And Glendale skipper Eric Duncan is a wealth of data, having gained Fall League MVP honors again in 2005.
“On this recreation, you are all the time studying, all the time altering, adapting stuff, but in addition protecting what makes you particular,” Wagner mentioned. “And so for 4 years now, that is all it has been — consistently evolving, altering, studying, rising.”
