Joseph Samuel Wagman (born July 25, 1991) is an

American-Israeli , native_name_lang = , image = , caption = , population = 110,000–150,000 , popplace = New York metropolitan area, Los Angeles metropolitan area, Miami metropolitan area, and other large metropolitan are ...

right-handed professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

who is a free agent. He also plays for the

Israel National Baseball Team The Israel national baseball team ( he, נבחרת ישראל בבייסבול) represents Israel in international competitions. It is managed by Israeli-American former Major League Baseball World Series champion, World Baseball Classic champion, ...

. Wagman attended college at

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (California Polytechnic State University, Cal Poly"Cal Poly" may also refer to California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, California or California State Polytechnic Univ ...

, where he was twice voted to the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

Big West Conference The Big West Conference (BWC) is an American collegiate athletic conference whose member institutions participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The conference was originally formed on July 1, 1969, as the Pacific ...

All-Conference Team, and was named a Louisville Slugger All American. He established the school record for victories in a season, with 13. He was drafted by the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...

in the 17th round of the

2013 Major League Baseball draft The 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2013. The first two rounds were broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. Each team received one selection per round, going in ...

. Pitching for the

Rockford Aviators The Rockford Aviators were a professional baseball team based in Rockford, Illinois that played in the independent Frontier League. Rockford previously had a team in the Frontier League called the RiverHawks (2002-2009). There was no Rockford tea ...

of the independent

Frontier League The Frontier League is a professional independent baseball league with teams in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Eastern Canada. Formed in 1993, it is the oldest currently running independent league in the United States. The le ...

in 2014, Wagman led the league in strikeouts and was named to the Frontier League All-Star Team. Wagman pitched for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic. In 2018, he became a dual Israeli citizen. Wagman competed on the

Israel national baseball team The Israel national baseball team ( he, נבחרת ישראל בבייסבול) represents Israel in international competitions. It is managed by Israeli-American former Major League Baseball World Series champion, World Baseball Classic champion, ...

at the

2019 European Baseball Championship The 2019 European Baseball Championship was an international baseball tournament organized by the Confederation of European Baseball. The 2019 Championship was held September 7–15, 2019, in Bonn and Solingen, Germany. The tournament contributed ...

. He also pitched for the team at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in Italy in September 2019, which Israel won to qualify to play

baseball at the 2020 Summer Olympics Baseball was featured at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo, for the first time since the 2008 Summer Olympics. Six national teams competed in the tournament: Israel, Japan (host), Mexico, South Korea, the United States, and the Dominican Republ ...

. He pitched for Team Israel at the

2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the ...

in Tokyo in the summer of 2021.

Early and personal life

Wagman was born in

Danville, California The Town of Danville is located in the San Ramon Valley in Contra Costa County, California. It is one of the incorporated municipalities in California that use "town" in their names instead of "city". The population was 43,582 at the 2020 census ...

, to Steven and Karyn Wagman, and is Jewish."Joey Wagman Stats, Highlights, Bio"
milb.com."Joey Wagman,"
Cal Poly. He has a sister named Molly. In October 2018 he became a dual Israeli citizen, partly to help Israel’s baseball team make the

2020 Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...

High school

Wagman attended Monte Vista High School in Danville, graduating in 2009. There, Wagman was honorable mention All- East Bay Athletic League as a

center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the c ...

as he batted .422 as a senior, and also pitched for the Mustangs.

College

Wagman then attended college at

, where he earned a degree in International Business."Joey Wagman,"
Cal Poly. In 2010, he played summer baseball for the

Walla Walla Sweets The Walla Walla Sweets is an amateur baseball team located in Walla Walla, Washington. They play in the West Coast League The West Coast League (WCL) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league founded in 2005, comprising teams fro ...

of the summer collegiate

West Coast League The West Coast League (WCL) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league founded in 2005, comprising teams from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alberta. The WCL was previously named the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League (WCCB ...

, going 2-2 record with a 2.65 ERA. In 2011, he played summer baseball for the

Wisconsin Rapids Rafters The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a baseball team based in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin that plays in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The Rafters play home games at historic Witter Field. History The Rafters name was a ...

Northwoods League The Northwoods League is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league. All players in the league must have NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate. The league is amateur, and players are not paid, so as to maintain their college el ...

. In both 2012 and 2013 Wagman was voted to the

All-Conference Team as a starting pitcher. He was also named a Louisville Slugger All American."Joey Wagman Joins Aviators,"
Frontier League, April 24, 2014. In 2012, he was third in the conference in wins, with 9, and fifth in strikeouts, with 79. In 2013, he established the school record for victories in a season with 13 (going 13-3, with a 2.96 ERA), as he led the Big West Conference in wins and strikeouts (103) and tied for the conference lead in complete games with 3. His 27 career victories are tied for second all-time at the school, and his 259 career strikeouts are fifth all-time at the school.

Professional career

Chicago White Sox

Wagman was drafted by the

in the 17th round of the

. Wagman began his professional career in 2013 with the

Great Falls Voyagers The Great Falls Voyagers are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Great Falls, Montana, and play their home games at Cente ...

of the Rookie Pioneer League, going 1-0 with a 3.57 ERA in 16 relief appearances."Athletics Add Righty Joey Wagman From The Frontier League,"
''Vavel''. In 2014, he started six games for the

Beloit Snappers The Beloit Sky Carp are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Beloit, Wisconsin, and play their home games at ABC Supply Stadium. They previously played at Harry C ...

of the A-Full

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

, going 2-2 with a 5.13 ERA. He was released by the White Sox in April 2014.

Rockford Aviators

He then pitched for the

of the independent

, going 6-2 with a 3.05 ERA and striking out 85 (leading the league) in 76.2 innings, and being named to the 2014 Frontier League All-Star Team for the West Division.< He threw four pitches; a

fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thro ...

in the high 80s, a

curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...

, a

slider Slider or Sliders may refer to: Arts * K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise * '' The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex * ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series * ...

, and a

changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...

Oakland Athletics

In July 2014 he was signed to a minor league contract as a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

by the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...

. In 2015, Wagman pitched 24 games (15 starts) for Beloit going 8-4 with one save and a 3.91 ERA, 6.2 innings for the

Stockton Ports The Stockton Ports are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are located in Stockton, California, and are named for the city's seaport. The team plays its home games at Ba ...

of the Class A-Advanced

California League The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leag ...

, and one start for the

Midland RockHounds The Midland RockHounds are a Minor League Baseball team based in Midland, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics major league club. The RockHounds play in Momentum Bank Ballpark, whic ...

of the AA

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

(going 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA). In 2016, Wagman pitched again for the Stockton Ports, going 4-6 with 2 saves and a 3.67 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 76 innings, and four starts for the Midland RockHounds in which he went 1-1. In 2017, Wagman pitched again for the Stockton Ports, going 4-2 in 37 games (second on the team) with 1 save and a 4.86 ERA in 53.2 innings of relief. He was released from the Athletics organization on March 30, 2018.

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

On April 18, 2018, Wagman signed with the

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are an American professional baseball team based in Waldorf, Maryland. They are members of the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent "partner league" of Major League Baseba ...

of the independent

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league based in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Atlantic League's ...

, for whom he was 0-4 in 12 games with an ERA of 8.33. He was released on June 18, 2018.

Lincoln Saltdogs

On June 24, 2018, he signed with the

Lincoln Saltdogs The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. Since the 2001 sea ...

of the

American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...

. Wagman was released on June 28, 2018, after pitching in one game, due to injury.

Milwaukee Milkmen

On July 16, 2019, Wagman signed with the

Milwaukee Milkmen The Milwaukee Milkmen are an independent baseball team based in Franklin, Wisconsin. They are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. They began play in 2019 and play hom ...

of the

. He was 1-4 in seven starts for the team in 2019, with a 4.79 ERA. Wagman was released by the Milkmen on March 9, 2020.

Tempo Praha

In 2021, Wagman played for Tempo Praha in

Prague, Czech Republic Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate oc ...

, which plays in the Czech Baseball Extraliga. He was 5-2 with a 1.98 ERA, one complete game, and 74 strikeouts in 71.1 innings, as batters hit .218 against him.

Sioux Falls Canaries

On August 16, 2021, Wagman signed with the

Sioux Falls Canaries The Sioux Falls Canaries are a professional baseball team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The Canaries are members of the North Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major L ...

of the

. He was 1-4 in five starts for the team, with a 4.50 ERA. Wagman was released by the Canaries on January 7, 2022.

Mexican League

On February 3, 2022, Wagman signed with

El Águila de Veracruz El Águila de Veracruz (English: ''The Veracruz Eagle'') is a professional baseball team that plays in the Mexican League. Based in Veracruz, Mexico, they play their home games at the Estadio Universitario Beto Ávila. History Baseball was intro ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...

. In 6 starts, Wagman went 2-0 with a 3.47 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 23.1 innings. He was released on June 22, 2022. On July 15, 2022, Wagman next signed with the

Bravos de León The Bravos de León (English: León Braves) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. History Cachorros de León (1979–80) Mexican League baseball in León began in 1979 when the Alijador ...

of the Mexican League. In 3 starts, he went 0-2 with a 10.95 ERA. Wagman was released on December 21, 2022.

Team Israel

Wagman was on the roster for

Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic Team Israel has competed in the World Baseball Classic since the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifier round. In 2017 Israel competed at a World Baseball Classic qualifier for the second time, and for the first time qualified for the main tourname ...

qualifier, however he did not make an appearance during the tournament. He pitched for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic, in March 2017. Wagman competed on the

for qualification for the

. He started one game and pitched in one game in relief as the team played in the 2019 European Baseball Championship - B-Pool in early July 2019 in

Blagoevgrad Blagoevgrad ( bg, Благоевград ) is а town in Southwestern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Blagoevgrad Municipality and of Blagoevgrad Province. With a population of almost inhabitants, it is the economic and cultural centre ...

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

, winning all of its games and advancing to the playoffs against Team Lithuania in the 2019 Playoff Series at the end of July 2019 for the last qualifying spot for the

.Scott Barancik (July 8, 2019)
">"For Israel, sweet victory; Long road to Olympic berth begins with triumph in Bulgaria,"
''Jewish Baseball News''. He was 0-0 with one save and a 1.50 ERA with 9 strikeouts in 6 innings. He got the win in Game 1 of the 3-game playoff series against Lithuania, after pitching 6 innings in the 12-2 victory. He pitched for Team Israel at the

, where Wagman led all pitchers in the Championship with a 0.00 ERA over 10.2 innings and was second in batting average with runners on (.059) and eighth in opposing batting average (.189), as he was 1-0 in three games and gave up seven hits and four walks as he struck out eight batters. Wagman also pitched for the team at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in Italy in September 2019, which Israel won to qualify to play

in Tokyo. In game 1 of the tournament he pitched Team Israel to a

shutout In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...

victory over European bronze medal winner Team Spain. Wagman tied for the lead among all pitchers in the tournament with two wins, and led in complete games (1) and strikeouts (14), while going 2-0 with an 0.56 ERA in two starts and pitching 16 innings while giving up nine hits and zero walks, and keeping batters to an opposing batting average of .161. Wagman said: "This has been the best baseball experience of my life." He pitched for Team Israel at the

in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. He was 0-2, as in two starts he pitched 6.2 innings and gave up six earned runs.

References

External links

*
"The CJ Silas Show (Joey Wagman),"
The CJ Silas Show on ESPN Radio 1280, July 14, 2021. {{DEFAULTSORT:Wagman, Joey 1991 births Living people Baseball players from California Beloit Snappers players Bravos de León players People from Danville, California California Polytechnic State University alumni Great Falls Voyagers players Jewish American baseball players Lincoln Saltdogs players Midland RockHounds players Milwaukee Milkmen players Rockford Aviators players Stockton Ports players Southern Maryland Blue Crabs players Sioux Falls Canaries players Cal Poly Mustangs baseball players Israeli American Israeli baseball players 2019 European Baseball Championship players Baseball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics Olympic baseball players of Israel American expatriate baseball players in Mexico El Águila de Veracruz players 21st-century American Jews