2022 2nd Round Pick (#42): Max Wagner - 3B - (Jr) Clemson University

[Tony-OH]

2022 2nd Round Pick (#42): Max Wagner - 3B - (Jr) Clemson University

https://www.mlb.com/video/2022-draft-max-wagner-3b?t=mlb-draft

College Stats

Initial Take: A fast riser this spring who came out of just about no where showed plus power, mostly to his pull side, but the power is legitimate. Drafted as a 3B but several scouts think he might be better at 2B even though most accounts call him a solid glove at 3B. Smashed 27 bombs in just 259 PAs at Clemson while slashing .370/.496/.852/1.348.  There is some swing and miss, but he'll draw some walks as well. With a lot of 3B depth in the system his selection was a little surprising but he obviously was the highest guy on their board.

[emmett16]

Oh boy. Let the comments roll.......

[DirtyBird]

YES!

[Yossarian]

So confusing

[PHRESH]

I think I don't like it

[Frobby]

No. 72 for Longenhagen:

“Wagner began the year on Clemson's bench and ended it with 27 home runs, third in NCAA. He is a draft-eligible sophomore with very little track record of performance, aside from his amazing 2022 sprint, during which he hit .369/.496/.852. Look under the hood and there is a little more swing and miss than average, both in terms of his strikeout rate (for a prospect, not compared to the average college hitter) and underlying swinging strikes. Things aren't in a red flag area so much as it's clear Wagner isn't actually a .380 hitter. This is mostly how Wagner's entire skill set reads. Aside from his plus arm, his tools are all about average. His swing is gorgeous and well-timed but he does tend to swing inside of sliders, and he does almost all of his damage to his pull-side. Wagner still has some "tip of the iceberg" characteristics, as he's young for the class, he hasn't played all that much, and he hails from a cold-weather state and entered college ball with less high-level experience than most of his peers. If you want to project on his hit tool based on his background, then he has a puncher's chance to be a well-rounded regular.”

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Yossarian said:

So confusing

What's confusing about it?

[odogs101]

Gotta think we're shaving a little slot money here

[Ripken]

Well, his swing is ten thousand times better than Beavers.  So we have that going for us, which is nice.

[Sports Guy]

27 homers. Lots of power.  I bet he has big EV numbers.  #66 by MLB.com

I think you can certainly question these 2 picks.  Not sayin they are bad picks, just higher ranked (by all the experts, not team) talent sitting there and there is pitching. 
 

They just aren’t going to take pitching if they don’t want to.

Elias has his type, that’s for sure.

[PHRESH]

We should be approaching the max in 3B prospects by now.

[Yossarian]

Westburg and Mayo both play 3B, right?

[lovetoaster]

• Since 2011, only three Division I hitters met the following criteria in a season (min. 250 PA): hit at least .360/.480/.800 with a walk rate north of 17%. Those three hitters: Andrew Vaughn, former #3 overall pick, Sonny DiChiara, and – of course – Max Wagner.

Wagner’s massive production is largely limited to one stout showing with the Tigers in 2022. But it’s one helluva production line. Above-average power and a lightning quick bat. Wagner consistently barreled up the baseball during his season. Throw in solid-average glove work at the corner, and Wagner could be a serviceable big league third baseman.

https://prospectdigest.com/2022-draft-profile-max-wagner/

[Big Mac]

Another young college player...basically the college version of a helium guy who had zero track record other than last summer in the Northwoods league before exploding into ACC Player of the Year this year. 

[SteveA]

Last ACC PotY we took was DJ Stewart.