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Max Wagner


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#1 BSLChrisStoner

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 09:49 PM

3rd Baseman, Clemson



#2 BSLChrisStoner

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 09:51 PM

MLB.com: 

 

Wagner batted just .214/.305/.345 as a Clemson freshman in 2021 and began this season as a defensive replacement at third base. He worked his way into the starting lineup by the end of February and began to take off in mid-April when he homered seven times in five games. He went deep 17 times in his final 24 contests to tie Khalil Greene's school record with 27, ranked second in NCAA Division I in slugging (.852) and third in homers and was named Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year. Teams still aren't quite sure what to make of Wagner because the sophomore-eligible has little track record, though he did perform well with wood bats in the Northwoods League last summer. He has at least plus raw power, though he does create it more with strength than bat speed, and even while struggling in 2021 he showed the ability to work counts and draw walks. He has made adjustments to his right-handed stroke and approach that have allowed him to make more consistent contact this spring and he's no longer helpless against sliders. Wagner is a capable defender at third base with good body control, decent range and solid arm strength. He needs to improve his consistency at the hot corner because the game speeds up on him at times. He's a fringy runner but not a liability on the bases.


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#3 Slidemaster

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 09:51 PM

Not sure I love this one. So many 3rd basemen in this system already, and yet again no pitching.

I guess we'll see. Did he make an adjustment that his improvement can be linked to?

#4 fishteacher

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 09:53 PM

Not enthused with this pick. Pitching pitching pitching please!
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#5 dude

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 09:56 PM

Feels like a pick they think they have something to unlock.

 

Still mlb.com #66 so he's on the radar.



#6 BSLMikeLowe

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 09:57 PM

 and yet again no pitching.

 

Four drafts in it's pretty evident they don't value pitching with early picks. For whatever reason, they probably don't think they're worth the bonus money.



#7 TwentyThirtyFive

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 10:05 PM

ACC player of the year. Outstanding year. Interesting bat since he came out of nowhere. Only a sophomore



#8 dude

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 10:18 PM

We'll see what happens, but you have guys like Connor Prielipp (LHP) and Cayden Wallace (3B) that you could get here and see if Wagner falls to 67 (or even first pick tomorrow).


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#9 BSLMikeLowe

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 10:27 PM

This is probably where they save some bonus money for either #67 or tomorrow.



#10 You Play to Win the Game

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 10:27 PM

Farm system is just going to be stacked with good to elite bats for years.
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#11 Slidemaster

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 10:30 PM

Farm system is just going to be stacked with good to elite bats for years.


I hope they can turn some of that into pitching. If I were a pitching coach on the minors I'd feel a sense of disappointment that they're giving me so little to work with, and feel so little confidence in the coaches ability to develop them.

#12 You Play to Win the Game

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 10:31 PM

They definitely will.
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#13 BSLMikeLowe

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 10:34 PM

I hope they can turn some of that into pitching. If I were a pitching coach on the minors I'd feel a sense of disappointment that they're giving me so little to work with, and feel so little confidence in the coaches ability to develop them.

 

The fact that they don't take guys at the top of the draft probably indicates they have a lot of confidence in their coaches to develop what they do select later. I think it's pretty clear their data is telling them taking pitchers early isn't worth it. Whether their data is reliable, time will tell.


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#14 BSLMikeLowe

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 10:37 PM

Farm system is just going to be stacked with good to elite bats for years.

 

These guys are the anti-MacPhail....grow the bats, sift for arms off the scrap heap.



#15 Slidemaster

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 10:48 PM

The fact that they don't take guys at the top of the draft probably indicates they have a lot of confidence in their coaches to develop what they do select later. I think it's pretty clear their data is telling them taking pitchers early isn't worth it. Whether their data is reliable, time will tell.


I guess that's one way to look at it. It's not exactly like this strategy is developing them any elite arms though.

#16 tennOsfan

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 10:48 PM

Drafting pitchers high sure hasn't worked well for the Os. Arm troubles, falling short of ceilings ... we've had a long list of disappointments.



#17 Slidemaster

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Posted 17 July 2022 - 10:49 PM

Drafting pitchers high sure hasn't worked well for the Os. Arm troubles, falling short of ceilings ... we've had a long list of disappointments.


I feel like there has to be a willingness to pounce on talent though. I wish they could find a happy medium between using top of the draft picks and round 6-10 picks.

#18 Nigel Tufnel

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Posted 18 July 2022 - 07:32 AM

Law:

 

2022 MLB Draft Top 100 prospects: Keith Law’s final rankings ahead of Round 1 - The Athletic

 

48. Max Wagner, 3B, Clemson

Wagner is a draft-eligible sophomore who was undrafted out of high school in 2020 and hit just .214/.305/.345 as a sparsely-used freshman for Clemson, but he broke out in the Northwoods League last year and carried that into this spring, tying for third in Division I with 27 homers. He shortened up his path to the ball and stays inside it much better now, allowing the Green Bay native to make more contact and drive the ball consistently, with 60-70 power to his pull side and enough to hit a few out the other way. He doesn’t like the ball down, however, and the way his hands start makes him vulnerable to pretty much anything in the lower third of the zone and down. He’s rough defensively at third and probably ends up in an outfield corner, although he might be better at second base than he is at the hot corner. It’s big power with bat speed for someone looking for an upside play among the college hitters.


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#19 Mike B

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Posted 18 July 2022 - 07:37 AM

They seem to think they can improve the swings of some of these guys.  They are getting them very young so it is possible.


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#20 TwentyThirtyFive

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Posted 18 July 2022 - 07:46 AM

Wagner is interesting if only because as a draft eligible Sophomore who jumped onto the scene with such a big year if he were to go back to college and put up another '22 type season he almost surely moves into the 1st round. Maybe even Top 15. Not sure how well his defense is looked at by all evaluators. Probably the most interesting guy for me we picked yesterday






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