The Mets announced that they have claimed infielder Eric Wagaman off waivers from the Twins and optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse. Minnesota had designated him for assignment last week. The Mets had a 40-man vacancy and don’t need to make a corresponding move. The Mets also announced that they have signed outfielder Austin Slater and designated outfielder Tommy Pham for assignment, moves that were reported yesterday.
Wagaman, to his credit, didn’t have a whole lot left to prove in the upper levels of the minors at one time. Drafted by the Yankees in 2017 out of Orange Coast CC, Wagaman had a slow and steady climb up the affiliate ranks, but he started to show some big league promise between 2022-2024. His worst “full season” line was a 123 wRC+ (100 is average and is adjusted for park/league) in 266 PAs between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset in 2022. His work was even better the following year with Somerset: a 146 wRC+ in 136 PAs. Perhaps due to his then-age (25), defensive limitations, or limited offensive upside, the Yankees passed on adding Wagaman to their 40-man roster to protect him during the Rule 5 Draft.
The Angels, however, saw enough to warrant a potential return to Orange County for the Mission Viejo native, adding him in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft. While his numbers at Triple-A Salt Lake were less promising, the Angels granted him a cup of coffee in September 2024. His big league results, in 74 PAs, were uninspiring: an 87 wRC+ (100 is average) with little defensive or baserunning upside. Wagaman’s strong plate discipline also backslid, and without average power at a bat-first position, the Angels found little incentive to keep rostering him and elected to non-tender Wagaman, sending him to free agency.
The Marlins pounced with a major-league contract for 2025. In 514 PAs, Wagaman was able to somewhat rediscover his plate discipline at the major league level, but the power and contact quality further waned. Ultimately, his 85 wRC+ didn’t look much different than his 2024 sample, but a below-average bat at an offense-first position was untenable. Miami cut bait with Wagaman following the 2025 campaign. The Twins were next in line for Wagaman’s services after an offseason swap, but after a poor showing (48 wRC+ with a 33.8 strikeout rate) in 74 PAs at Triple-A St. Paul, he was designated for assignment.
For now, Wagaman will look to regain his footing at Triple-A Syracuse while he awaits his next chance at the bigs. There’s upside here for the Mets if the bat can come around: he’s controllable until 2031 and, more perhaps importantly, has all three option-years remaining. For a major league club that is currently starving for offense (30th in runs and wRC+), Wagaman represents a low-risk move that could potentially pay dividends.
Stunning moves! Mets on their way now with these new guys…
Wags n Slater to save the day
GOLLY! Color me impressed. Stearns really shaking things up.
Well, dog my cats!
More trash to fuel the dumpster fire!
Stearns sucks.
Praise the Lord, we is saved!
He really does. What a clown.
I hope he can actually play 1st base at least on an average level. Mets can’t keep playing non 1st baseman at the position since they are not hitting at all to justify playing there.
Hasn’t played 1B in 7 years and then a total of 29 games over 2018-19.
He played in 117 games/ 94 game starts at 1st for the Fish last year according to baseball reference.
Wagaman is a good dude and OC native. So I root for him. If he’s with the Mets this weekend in Anaheim he’ll have a solid cheering section.
Yay! Another fantastic pick up by the best POBO in baseball. I love David stearns he’s so good at his job and all of his moves have worked out so well! I mean that’s why LRJ is having a career year, Bo is showing people he wasn’t the beneficiary of playing in a division with multiple domes and is a good defensive 3rd baseman, Peralta is pitching like an ace and going more than 5 innings, Luis Garcia is a lock down bull pen arm, semien is rebounding and showing the world age is nothing but a number, playing Brett Baty at every position is working out swimmingly and not at all effecting his offensive performance, polonco has shaken that unfairly given “injury prone” moniker and plays every day and the Mets have the best record in baseball!!! Oh wait. What? None of those things are happening? Really? Well Whoda thunk it?
The only thing palatable about this pathetic season and team is the joy I get waking up every day knowing I was right and the satisfaction I get knowing that yes. I am smarter than that Ivy League idiot and all those “baseball people” who were seal clapping after that atrocious offseason. You’re all a bunch of idiots. Now sit back and eat your crow.