The Rays announced the signing of right-hander Jacob Waguespack to a minor league deal. He’ll get a look in big league camp as a non-roster invitee.
Waguespack, an Ole Miss product, is familiar with the AL East. His MLB experience came with the Blue Jays between 2019-20. He started 13 of 18 appearances as a rookie, working to a 4.38 ERA over 78 innings. His follow-up season didn’t go as planned, as he surrendered 20 runs in 17 2/3 frames of relief. Toronto outrighted him from the roster during Spring Training in 2021.
After spending the ’21 season in Triple-A, Waguespack headed overseas. He signed with the Orix Buffaloes of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He found success in his first NPB campaign. In 72 2/3 innings spanning 32 games, he posted a 2.97 ERA with an impressive 26.2% strikeout rate. That led the Buffaloes to keep him around last year, but he struggled in his second season.
Waguespack allowed 5.77 earned runs per nine in 43 2/3 frames. Control was the main issue, as he walked almost 13% of opposing hitters. On the plus side, Waguespack continued to miss plenty of bats. He punched out a third of batters faced last season. Over his two-year tenure, he ran a strikeout rate above 29%.
The Rays will see if the 30-year-old can carry some of that swing-and-miss stuff against MLB hitters in Spring Training. He’ll likely open the season with Triple-A Durham as a long relief depth hurler. The Rays frequently shuttle multi-inning bullpen arms between Durham and Tampa Bay. Waguespack still has a pair of options, so the Rays could move him freely to the minors if he earns a spot on the 40-man roster at any point.
thinking back fondly to a few months back when the RFO talked about being willing to spend to get the team where it needs to go…good times, good times.
The Rays front office did spend. They gave Tyler Glasnow 25 million for 2024, which is now being paid by the Dodgers. They guaranteed Glasnow 25 million dollars, they just didn’t say who would be paying it lol
That name is a tongue-twister. Can I just call him J-Pack?
IMI, “J-Wag” could work too. He has an “A” grade baseball name and looks like he could be Snell’s 1/2 Brother.
That is a mouthful aint it? LOL
Looks like somebody turned off the gas to the hot stove, and now there’s frost on the burners. I guess this is the point in the offseason where it turns into a game of poker with each side waiting for the other to blink.
That name would look great on the back of a uniform.
It looks like part of a symptom of a surgeon general warning on a pack of cigarettes.
OK here’s how it will go down: Waguespack to the A’s. Perez to the White Sox. Barlow to the Rays. Three way trade to put the universe back as it should be.
Unfortunately, none of these players are eligible to be traded right now… but I like it.
Who?
So a Waguespack joined a Devil Ray’s Wolfpack, got it.
Let the Waguespack era begin …
Hope the Rays got a hellofa catcher as he loves throwin’m in the dirt.
The remember him because of some oddity thing that happened with him pitching and not being on the roster…
They have large smallmouth bass and Walleye in Lake Wallenpaupack.
Jingleheimer Schmidt has swing and miss stuff means he throws the Roger Beshens Football slider. Football, Stiff wrist, on center grip.
How much wauge could a waugespack pack if a waguespack could pack wague…