Seton LaSalle baseball standout, coach’s son Brett Wagner transferring to IMG Academy
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Thursday, July 8, 2021 | 10:19 PM
Seton LaSalle’s Brett Wagner makes a catch during the WPIAL Class 2A championship game against Shenango on June 2, 2021, at Wild Things Park.
Seton LaSalle baseball coach Mike Wagner is losing his favorite player to IMG Academy in Florida, but he’s 100% on board with the kid’s decision.
That player is his son.
A rising senior, Brett Wagner is transferring to the private sports-oriented high school in Bradenton, Fla. with hopes that his time there will better prepare him for Division I college baseball.
“Every college coach that’s had interest in him said if he goes to IMG, that will prepare him to play earlier in college,” said Mike Wagner, who is with Brett in Georgia for a national championship event this week.
“Every kid down here is throwing between 88 and 95 (mph). … There’s only one pitcher that we face in our entire section that throws over 80. It’s just not preparing him for that next level.”
Mike Wagner intends to move to Florida with his son, at least for the fall and winter. What that means for his tenure as Seton LaSalle baseball coach is unclear.
The Rebels are 53-16 in three seasons under Wagner with a WPIAL title in 2019.
“I have not made a decision on that yet,” Wagner said. “He just made his decision (Wednesday) night.”
A 6-foot-1, 200-pound infielder and pitcher, Brett Wagner batted .391 with 30 runs and 32 RBIs in 26 games this spring as the No. 3 hitter in Seton LaSalle’s high-scoring lineup. Wagner also was 8-0 on the mound with a 0.17 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 40⅔ innings.
Seton LaSalle went 22-4 and reached the WPIAL and PIAA Class 2A semifinals.
“It was his decision 100%,” Wagner said. “He’s been kicking it around the last few weeks. It’s definitely what he should do, but I told him it’s ultimately your call. You’ve got to decide what you want and what’s best for you.”
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
Tags: Seton La Salle
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