Israel National Team ace Joey Wagman to play for Veracruz in the Mexican Baseball League
El Aguila de Veracruz of the Mexican Baseball League signed right-handed pitcher Joey Wagman for the 2022 season.
Born in 1991 in California, Wagman played Minor League Baseball (MiLB) for the Chicago White Sox and Oakland A'S. He also performed in the independent Frontier League, Atlantic League and American Association.
He first appeared on the Israeli National Team at the World Baseball Classic 2017. He was instrumental in winning the WBSC Europe/Africa Qualifier. He earned two wins, including the clincher against South Africa.
Wagman spent the 2021 season in the Czech ExtraLiga, starring as the ace of Tempo Praha. He started two games, against the United States and Korea, for Israel at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Veracruz competes in the South Division of the 18-team LMB. They finished the 2021 regular season in sixth place (34-31 record) and lost (4-1) to the Mexico City Diablos Rojos in the second round of the playoffs.
Their contingent of import players for the 2022 season includes Dylan Unsworth (South Africa; he pitched two innings against Wagman in the 2019 Olympic Qualifier), veteran right-hander Mike Devine (USA), outfielder and former major leaguer Paulo Orlando (Brazil) and former Yomiuri Giants and Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) pitcher Hayato Takagi (Japan).
The Diablos Rojos will open the 2022 season on 21 April against defending champions Toros de Tijuana.
LMB is a WBSC Associate Member.
Israel is currently No. 20 in WBSC Baseball World Rankings.