WooSox reliever Justin Hagenman earns spring training invite, offers potential to stretch out into a starter for 2024
The Red Sox announced 13 non-roster players that were invited to spring training on Friday. One of those players was right-handed pitcher Justin Hagenman.
The righty came over to the Red Sox in three-player trade with the Dodgers last July. Boston acquired Hagenman and righty Nick Robertson (who they traded to the Cardinals this winter), from Los Angeles for versatile fielder Kiké Hernández.
The 27-year-old was selected by the Dodgers in the 23rd round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Penn State. The New Jersey native signed for just $75,000 and made his pro debut in the Pioneer League that summer.
While playing collegiate ball, Hagenman was primarily a starter but quickly transitioned into a reliever upon landing in the Dodgers organization.
He navigated his way through the Dodgers system and closed out games for Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2022 and returned to the team in 2023.
Could the Red Sox transition Justin Hagenman back into a starter?
With Craig Breslow leading the front office and surrounding himself with strong hires to develop pitching up and down the system, the Red Sox could look to turn Hagenman back into a starter or someone who can handle multiple innings of work.
Towards the end of the Triple-A season, there was conversations internally to have Hagenman start for the WooSox. WooSox skipper Chad Tracy extended his innings in a game against Gwinnett in September and a few more times before the regular season came to a close.
“When we acquired him, the interest level was being in a bulk bullpen role,” Tracy said of Hagenman. “It is more like a multiple inning reliever somewhere in the middle part of the game to carry it to the back end and we have used him primarily that way.”
When Hagenman was acquired by the Red Sox, the club immediately told him the organizations focus was for him while in Worcester.
“After I had gotten there, they (Red Sox) said, we're going to stretch out into multiple innings,” said Hagenman while on the To the Show We Go podcast in November. “I did have more of a defined role than it wasn't just blind, you know, you're just going to start throwing three innings.
“They told me that I was going to relieve and then I think, to get my feet wet a little bit, I think I threw one inning the first couple times. And then from there on out, it was pretty much multi-inning appearances. So yeah, I knew what I was, I knew the role,” added Hagenman.
In 16 appearances for the WooSox, Hagenman posted a 3.26 ERA with 28 strikeouts, 14 walks over 30 1/3 innings of relief. He held opposing hitters to a .232 batting average against and posted a strong month of September in which he allowed just one run in his final 12 2/3 frames of the Triple-A season.
SoxProspects currently lists Hagenman in the WooSox bullpen for 2024. Heading into the new season, Worcester has six potential starters with Josh Winckowski projected to serve as a starter with the club, stretching out his innings in an effort for him to start in the majors.
Other potential starters for the WooSox next season are Max Castillo, Brandon Walter, Richard Fitts, Grant Gambrell and Brian Van Belle. Hagenman could be added to the group if someone is called up due to injury or another players poor performance in Boston.
Hagenman, who does not turn 28 until October, throws from a low three-quarters arm slot and offer s four-pitch mix on the mound. He offers a 92-94 mph fastball with arm-side run, a low-80s whiff-inducing slider, a mid-80s changeup, and an occasional cutter.
SoxProspects lists Hagenman as “Triple-A depth who has the potential to eat some innings as an emergency up-and-down pitcher at the MLB level. Swing-man type.”
That might be the case, but with Breslow, Andrew Bailey, new director of pitching development Justin Willard, new WooSox pitching coach Dan Delucia and Kyle Boddy, the organization has great minds to help develop a lot of the internal pitchers take the next steps forward.
Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisHenrique
For additional Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, MLB and NFL content follow Beyond the Monster on Twitter @BeyondtheMnstr.
