Former Cal Poly Pitcher Joey Wagman to Compete in 2023 WBC
2/28/2023 4:32:00 PM | Baseball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Joey Wagman is headed back to the World Baseball Classic.
The former Cal Poly pitcher and 202One Olympian played for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Ranked No. 41 in the world at the time, Israel beat No. 3 South Korea, No. 4 Chinese Taipei and No. 9 Netherlands in the first round, and then No. 5 Cuba in the second round before bowing out.
Wagman, who competed in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, postponed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is one of four players from that 2017 WBC team on the current squad which will compete in the 2023 WBC, which starts March 6.
Team Israel will play in Pool D at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, against Puerto Rico, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Israel is listed No. 20 in the World Baseball Softball Confederation World Rankings while Venezuela is No. 6, the Dominican Republic No. 9, Puerto Rico 13th and Nicaragua 17th.
Israel faces Nicaragua on March 12, Puerto Rico on March 13, the Dominican Republic on March 14 and Venezuela on March 15.
Team Israel is managed by Ian Kinsler and among the coaches is Tyger Pederson, a volunteer assistant coach at Cal Poly for the 2018 season who now serves as assistant hitting coordinator for the Seattle Mariners after four years as the hitting coach for the Springfield Cardinals in the Texas League.
Based on its sixth-place finish in the 2017 WBC, Team Israel was guaranteed a spot in the 2023 WBC.
"I am excited to compete against the best in the world," said Wagman, who made two appearances on the mound, both starts, for Team Israel at Tokyo.
The WBC quarterfinals, semifinals and championship also will be held in Miami from March 15-21.
Wagman, who became engaged to Tracy Hong on Feb. 11, was a two-time team captain, two-time First Team All-Big West Conference pitcher, and an NCAA Division I All American during his four-year career (2010-13) at Cal Poly.
Wagman's 27 career wins are the most in Cal Poly's 28 Division I seasons and tied for No. 2 all-time. His 318 1/3 career innings pitched are No. 5 while his 259 career strikeouts are No. 6 on the all-time list.
Wagman's 13 wins in 2013 is No. 1 in the all-time record book.
He was drafted in the 17th round in the 2013 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox and earned 21 wins in five minor league seasons, compiling a 4.43 ERA and reaching as high as Double-A.
Wagman also played on five independent teams, notching eight more wins, and pitched for two teams in the Mexican League last summer, picking up two more victories.
The former Cal Poly pitcher and 202One Olympian played for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Ranked No. 41 in the world at the time, Israel beat No. 3 South Korea, No. 4 Chinese Taipei and No. 9 Netherlands in the first round, and then No. 5 Cuba in the second round before bowing out.
Wagman, who competed in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, postponed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is one of four players from that 2017 WBC team on the current squad which will compete in the 2023 WBC, which starts March 6.
Team Israel will play in Pool D at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, against Puerto Rico, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Israel is listed No. 20 in the World Baseball Softball Confederation World Rankings while Venezuela is No. 6, the Dominican Republic No. 9, Puerto Rico 13th and Nicaragua 17th.
Israel faces Nicaragua on March 12, Puerto Rico on March 13, the Dominican Republic on March 14 and Venezuela on March 15.
Team Israel is managed by Ian Kinsler and among the coaches is Tyger Pederson, a volunteer assistant coach at Cal Poly for the 2018 season who now serves as assistant hitting coordinator for the Seattle Mariners after four years as the hitting coach for the Springfield Cardinals in the Texas League.
Based on its sixth-place finish in the 2017 WBC, Team Israel was guaranteed a spot in the 2023 WBC.
"I am excited to compete against the best in the world," said Wagman, who made two appearances on the mound, both starts, for Team Israel at Tokyo.
The WBC quarterfinals, semifinals and championship also will be held in Miami from March 15-21.
Wagman, who became engaged to Tracy Hong on Feb. 11, was a two-time team captain, two-time First Team All-Big West Conference pitcher, and an NCAA Division I All American during his four-year career (2010-13) at Cal Poly.
Wagman's 27 career wins are the most in Cal Poly's 28 Division I seasons and tied for No. 2 all-time. His 318 1/3 career innings pitched are No. 5 while his 259 career strikeouts are No. 6 on the all-time list.
Wagman's 13 wins in 2013 is No. 1 in the all-time record book.
He was drafted in the 17th round in the 2013 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox and earned 21 wins in five minor league seasons, compiling a 4.43 ERA and reaching as high as Double-A.
Wagman also played on five independent teams, notching eight more wins, and pitched for two teams in the Mexican League last summer, picking up two more victories.
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