Hagaman redshirted in his first season at West Virginia and compiled 73 1/3 innings over the next two years, mostly as a reliever, before injuring his elbow last April. Though he had internal brace surgery a month later, the Rangers still selected him in the fourth round of the 2024 Draft. They used him as a starter when he debuted in the Minors in June and traded him to the D-backs as part of the Merrill Kelly deal at this year’s Deadline.
Hagaman’s promising three-pitch mix begins with a 92-94 mph fastball that climbs as high as 98 with plenty of carry and armside run. His best strikeout pitch with the Mountaineers was a tight mid-80s slider that he threw nearly as often as his heater. Considering his relief background and inexperience, he shows surprising aptitude for throwing a mid-80s changeup with fade.
An athletic mover with a 6-foot-4 frame and loose arm, Hagaman gets down the mound well and creates plenty of extension. To make it as a starter, he’ll have to improve his control after battling the strike zone in college and in summer ball. He’ll also have to prove that he can hold up and maintain his stuff while handling a rotation workload.
