When newly-elected baseball Hall of Famer Billy Wagner was recalled from the Double-A Jackson Generals to the Triple-A Tucson Toros in June 1995, the lefty from Virginia was exclusively a starting pitcher. Little did he know that 30 years later, he would be regarded as one of the leading closers in baseball history.
Wagner pitched 151 innings for the Toros in ’95-96 and didn’t record a save. He was a starter for Tucson pitching coach Brent Strom and it worked. In Wagner’s Tucson debut on July 25, 1995 — his 24th birthday — a crowd of 5,228 attended at Hi Corbett Field as Wagner pitched a five-hitter.
Billy Wagner is the ninth pitcher to reach the Baseball Hall of Fame who was primarily a reliever.
Wagner struck out 166 batters for the Toros before the Astros recalled him in 1996, turned him into a closer, and he became a star. He saved 422 games, eighth highest in MLB history.
Wagner is the second ex-Tucson Toro/Sidewinder to reach Cooperstown. The other was second baseman Craig Biggio, who hit .322 for the Toros in 1988. Hall of Fame pitchers Randy Johnson (2003, 2007) and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer (2008) both pitched for Tucson in injury-rehab assignments.
Contact sports columnist Greg Hansen at GHansenAZStar@gmail.com. On X(Twitter): @ghansen711
Greg Hansen
Columnist
