Dodgers No. 30 prospect plays to his strength in Arizona Fall League

MESA, Ariz. -- Shortly after the Glendale Desert Dogs finished their high-five line following Tuesday's Arizona Fall League victory, Logan Wagner did a handstand and walked forward on his palms behind home plate.

If that was just a brief glimpse into the strength the Dodgers' No. 30 prospect possesses, his first at-bat during the club’s 15-9 win over Mesa at Sloan Park on Wednesday afternoon was much more emphatic. After falling behind in the count, 0-2, against A's right-hander Corey Avant, the switch-hitting infielder drew even before he walloped a curveball 407 feet onto the right-field berm.

Wagner's second home run of the Fall League came off the bat at 107.7 mph, which at the time marked his hardest-hit ball during his month-plus run with Glendale. That mark lasted all of three innings. He ripped a 111.2 mph opposite-field single in the fifth, giving him four RBIs in the contest while also placing him among the top 30 highest exit velocities recorded on the circuit this year.

Entering 2025, Wagner had been a pro for three years, yet had only played in a combined 57 contests. A broken right hamate ended his ‘23 campaign in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League almost as soon as it began and a left hamate fracture the following year curtailed his first taste of full-season ball with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

Which is why, even after 122 regular-season games for High-A Great Lakes, the 21-year-old has embraced playing well into November.

“Just taking care of the body, eating the right stuff, getting time in the gym, keeping your strength up is super important,” Wagner said of how he’s stayed so fresh. “Just all the little things lead me up to this moment.”

The current moment has Wagner on one of the largest stages possible for prospects. He’s long sought to challenge himself on the diamond, going as far as transferring from his Chicago-area high school to P27 Academy in South Carolina in order to face advanced competition prior to the 2022 Draft. It worked, as the Dodgers took note and popped him in the sixth round, signing him for more than double slot to forgo his Louisville commitment.

Despite his comfort with the organization, Wagner went a while without feeling like himself in the box. The switch-hitter has long been highly regarded for his raw power from both sides of the dish, but unable to fully get to it after the hamate injuries zapped his pop. He figured if he couldn’t swing the bat, he would use his down time to improve other facets of his game.

“Just working on the mental game side of baseball was huge,” Wagner said. “And I’m learning it still. Baserunning, too. Since I couldn't hit, I did a lot of baserunning [work], so learning that side of my game was really cool because I've never had a chance to sit down, relax and truly study and learn it.”

Wagner has proven to be a quick study. He might not ever be an elite threat on the basepaths, but he swiped 18 bags on 21 attempts during the regular season with Great Lakes and added his second steal (in as many tries) for Glendale on Wednesday. The 21-year-old finished the year as one of six Dodgers prospects to compile at least 15 homers and 15 steals, racking up 70 wRC per FanGraphs, which tied him with fellow Loons standout and Dodgers No. 1 prospect Josue De Paula.

For most of the season, Wagner got a front-row seat to hitting behind two of the premier offensive prospects not only in Los Angeles’ system, but all of Minor League Baseball: De Paula (MLB No. 13) and Zyhir Hope (LAD No. 2/MLB No. 20). For a good stretch of the season, the heart of the Great Lakes order -- in some form or fashion -- often read De Paula, Hope, Wagner, a hyper-talented group that is seemingly only just beginning to scratch its collective surface.

“Amazing, great dudes,” said Wagner of the pair. “They're always doing damage to the baseball in front of me, so they're always on base or running around the bases. It was a very special group to be a part of, for sure.”

The Fall League offers Wagner another top-tier group to learn from. He often shares an infield with Atlanta’s Nacho Alvarez Jr., who has had 218 Major League at-bats. There’s MLB’s No. 35 prospect Braden Montgomery (CWS No. 1) in the middle of the order. And Glendale skipper Eric Duncan is a wealth of knowledge, having won Fall League MVP honors back in 2005.

“In this game, you're always learning, always changing, adapting stuff, but also keeping what makes you special,” Wagner said. “And so for four years now, that's all it's been -- constantly evolving, changing, learning, growing.”