Breaking: Blue Jays Shake Up Bullpen: Blue Jays Sign Josh Walker, Part Ways with Hagen Danner
The Toronto Blue Jays have made another transaction.
On Friday afternoon, it was reported that they signed left-handed pitcher Josh Walker to a big league deal worth $760,000. In turn, they designated homegrown pitching prospect Hagen Danner for assignment.
Walker, 30, was selected in the 37th round of the 2017 out of college and made his debut in 2023 with the Mets. That season, he had an 8.10 ERA and a 5.26 FIP in 10 innings pitched, with a 25 K% and a 12.5 BB%. Last season in the big leagues, Walker finished the season with a 5.11 ERA and a 3.90 FIP in 12.1 innings pitched, with a 20 K% and a 10.9 BB%.
The left-handed pitcher’s numbers were better with the Syracuse Mets of the International League (Triple-A), finishing his tenure with the team posting a 2.83 ERA and a 4.16 FIP in 28.2 innings pitched, along with a 31 K% and a 16.7 BB%.
Before the trade deadline, Walker was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and was designated for assignment and released shortly after. However, Walker re-signed to a minor league deal five days later and had an 8 ERA and a 4.35 FIP in nine innings pitched with Pittsburgh’s Triple-A team, along with a 28.9 K% and a 2.6 BB% in the final month and change of the season.
According to Baseball Savant, Walker’s fastball averages 94.2 mph but plays up due to his 97th-percentile extension. Still, his heater had a Run Value of -4 this past season. On the other hand, his mid-80s curve had a Run Value of 3, while his two-seamer had a Run Value of 1. The building blocks are certainly there for a good reliever, considering he has options for next season and hasn’t hit his arbitration years.
It’s a bittersweet signing though, as Hagen Danner was designated for assignment to make room for Walker. Danner was selected in the second round of the 2017 draft as a catcher but eventually transitioned to the bullpen in 2020. After a terrific 2021 season with the High-A Vancouver Canadians, the Jays added him to the 40-man roster thanks to his mid-to-high-90s fastball and excellent slider.
Unfortunately, the right-handed pitcher missed most of the 2022 season with an injury, before posting a 3.81 ERA and a 5.51 FIP in 28.1 innings pitched with the Buffalo Bisons in 2023, with a 31.5 K% and a 6.3 BB%. In August of that year, Danner was called up to the big leagues, where he pitched a third of an inning before suffering a season-ending injury.
Danner pitched with the Bisons in 2024, missing a part of the season due to injury. When healthy, he had good results as the 26-year-old finished with a 3.15 ERA and a 4.24 FIP in 34.1 innings pitched, with a 23.3 K% and an 8.9 BB%.
