MAX WAGNER
Max Wagner enjoyed one of the most decorated careers in Wisconsin high school history. Wagner, the Green Bay, Wisconsin native was named the 2020 Gatorade High School Player of the Year to cap his successful career at Preble High School which included two trips to the State Tournament. As a member of the Rays in 2018 and 2019, Wagner was added to the Prep Baseball Report Futures Game roster and was named the PBR Player of the year in 2019. At the end of the 2018 Summer, Wagner made his commitment to Clemson University, one of the top-ranked programs in the nation on a consistent basis.
Recently Wagner took some time to answer some questions to be featured in our Rays Alumni Question and Answer session. It’s time to catch up with Max Wagner:
Was your first couple of weeks at Clemson drastically different than what you were expecting heading into the ACC?
Transitioning into Clemson I knew that I would have to work hard and create a schedule for me to be on time for class, practice, tutors and workouts.
Outside of baseball practice, what baseball related activities (lifting, meetings, etc.) do you have on a weekly basis?
On a weekly basis besides baseball practice we have 3 lifts a week and sprint work. The freshmen have tutors and study hall that they have to attend so that’s another thing we do during the week. On most off days I go to a local gym and do a little workout there.
Could you give a brief “Day in the Life” breakdown of a normal day for you?
A normal day for me is waking up around 8-9am, attending my zoom class hours until 12:15 pm, then practice starts at 3 so I like to get there at 1:30pm to get extra work in. We have practice for 2 hours and then a lift at 6pm for an hour and a half. After the workout I usually go and get dinner, go back to my apartment and start my tutor session. On practice days, I roughly spend 6 hours at the field and lift combined.
Is it difficult balancing school and baseball?
So far it hasn’t been a problem balancing the two. For me I just need to stay on top of my school work as school comes first down here and then after that is taken care of the baseball comes in after that. One thing is to make sure you are on time to everything and make sure to build relationships with professors.
What’s one thing you wish you knew before starting your first season of Division I baseball?
One thing I didn’t really know was how much time I would be practicing or at a lift. As when I was younger it was show up 15 minutes before, practice for 2 hours and leave, but here it’s very different.
What advice do you have for the younger Rays players who want to follow in your footsteps and play high-level college baseball?
My advice I have for the up and coming Rays is to work hard every time you get the opportunity to play or practice the game. One thing that has helped me is when I make an error, I flush it and get ready to make the next play. Lastly, watch videos on your favorite players and start to practice some of the things they do and see if it works for you.
What’s your favorite Rays memory?
My favorite Rays memory is either hitting for the cycle against the Renegades and winning the Midwest WWBA or our Atlanta trip last year which included traveling with Burm in the team van, staying in a hotel with 3 of my guys and playing great baseball.