Georgia's Cole Wagner is hanging up his cleats, "walking away" from baseball
Georgia's Cole Wagner is hanging up his cleats, "walking away" from baseball
After two seasons at the University of Georgia, Cole Wagner’s baseball career has come to an end.
The rising junior Bulldog made the announcement via social media on Wednesday, July 5.
“For the past 17 years, the game of baseball has been one of the most important things in my life. The game has done more for me than I ever could have done for it,” Wagner wrote in the post on Instagram. “I was blessed with friends, an education, memories, heartache, and struggle, where I grew the most, not only as a player but as a man. Recently, I have made the very tough decision to walk away from the game. I was hesitant to post anything about it because it was a very personal choice, but I couldn’t leave the game without thanking everyone who helped me get to where I am. I am so thankful for my coaches, teammates, friends, and family for the role they played in this journey.”
Wagner played in 46 games this past season, with 39 starts as Georgia went 29-27. He batted .246 with seven doubles, six home runs, and 23 RBI as a sophomore for the Bulldogs.
In 2021, the 6-foot-1 and 215-pound Wagner appeared in 43 games with 32 starts in his freshman campaign. He hit .276 with 23 runs scored, one double, six home runs, and 21 RBI.
Wagner, a native of Lewisberry, Penn., played high school baseball at Red Land High School. In 2015, he gained fame for helping lead his team to the Little League World Series.
Wagner’s Red Land Little League team won the U.S. Championship but lost in the final to Tokyo Kitasuna (Japan). He was also featured on ESPN’s Top 10 plays a few times.
Wagner was the valedictorian of Red Land High School in 2021. During his senior campaign, he hatted .353 with eight doubles, four triples, four home runs, and 32 RBI in leading the Patriots back to the state championship in PIAA Class 5A and a 25-5 overall record.
In his post on Instagram, Wagner did not list any additional reasons for leaving the program or that he will be staying enrolled at UGA. His cousin, Luke Wager, is still on the team.