Wagaman proved to be a tough out for Gunnar Hoglund and the Athletics’ bullpen in what was an otherwise quiet night for the Marlins’ lineup. Apart from his three hits, he also had three batted balls hit harder than 100 mph and it’s getting difficult to ignore his hot start to the season. He has an acceptable .267 batting average and .731 OPS with solid underlying plate discipline and power metrics while playing every day. That’s a worthwhile player in a lot of leagues.

Wagaman’s solo shot to straightaway center field came off Reds southpaw Nick Lodolo to give the Marlins a commanding three-run lead in the fifth inning. He also singled and stole a base in the seventh inning, just for good measure, to complete the combo meal performance. The unheralded 27-year-old is hitting .277 (18-for-65) with three homers, seven RBI and one steal through 18 games in his Marlins debut.

Wagaman was a nice surprise in the Angels system last season, but though they brought him up at the end of the year, the Halos didn’t completely buy into his progress and non-tendered him in November. The Marlins opted to give him a major league contract as a free agent, and he’s opened the year by hitting .260/.339/.440 with just eight strikeouts in 56 plate appearances. He’s the player they hoped Jonah Bride would be, and while his fantasy ceiling is capped by the lack of production around him, he could be of use in deeper formats.

So it is an actual MLB contract. Interesting. No financial details were announced yet, but it’s expected to be for around the league minimum. The 27-year-old will fight for a spot in the team’s Opening Day starting lineup to begin the 2025 campaign, though his fantasy appeal seems limited.