• Full name Mark Nathan Wagner
  • Born 06/11/1984 in Long Beach, CA
  • Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
  • School UC Irvine
  • Drafted in the 9th round (288th overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 2005 (signed for $90,000).
    View Draft Report
    As a 29th-round draft pick of the Braves out of high school and a member of the 2002 Connie Mack World Series champion Long Beach Cardinals, there were high expectations for Wagner when he entered UC Irvine. But he hit a combined .279 his first two years and struggled behind the plate. This year, he has been one of the most improved college players in the state. He shortened his swing, was hitting .362 with a lot of quality at-bats, and had struck out 11 times in 185 plate appearances while settling into the No. 3 hole in the Irvine lineup. His improvement also carried over to the defensive side, as he has caught the ball much better and had thrown out more runners. His arm strength isn't what it was in high school, but he has compensated with a quicker release. Wagner has lost some athleticism as his lower half has thickened, but he is durable behind the plate and built for the daily grind of catching.

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  • Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Boston Red Sox in 2009
  • Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Boston Red Sox in 2008
  • Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Boston Red Sox in 2007

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