Joey Wagman

Before joining Israel's national-team program, Wagman played in an American independent league.[2] In October 2018, he was among ten Jewish-American baseball players who gained Israeli citizenship through aliyah to help strengthen the national team ahead of the 2020 Olympic qualifying campaign.[2] He was one of five in the group who had represented Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic.[2]

He was also described as a "star pitcher for the Israel National Baseball Team."[1]

Wagman played a central role in Israel's effort to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics at the Europe/Africa Olympic Qualifier held in Italy in 2019. His first reported outing in that tournament was a three-hit shutout: he struck out eight, walked no one, and threw 116 pitches.[5] On just three days' rest, he returned to the mound and delivered seven more scoreless innings, leaving the game with Israel ahead 7–1.[5] Following that outing, Wagman credited defensive plays by Rob Paller and Blake Gailen with helping preserve the result early in the game.[5]

Earlier in the qualifying process, in July 2019, Wagman was part of the pitching staff that helped Israel defeat Lithuania in the European Championship B Pool playoff. Israel won the first two games of a best-of-three series by scores of 12–2 and 15–0, with dominant performances from Gabe Cramer, Eric Brodkowitz, and Wagman allowing the team to advance toward the A Pool tournament and the Olympic qualifying route.[6]

Wagman was named to Israel's 24-player Olympic baseball roster for the Tokyo 2020 Games, which were held in July 2021 after being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.[3][7] He started Israel's game against the United States on July 30, 2021, after Israel had suffered an extra-inning loss to South Korea the previous day.[8] Wagman, then 30 and described as having never pitched above Double-A, opened with a 1-2-3 first inning that included two strikeouts.[9][8] He ultimately surrendered three runs on four hits in three innings as Israel fell 8–1.[9]

Wagman's most celebrated performances came at the 2021 European Baseball Championship in Torino, Italy, where he anchored a pitching staff that carried Israel to the final.

In the tournament opener against Russia, Wagman held his opponents to one run and three hits over eight innings, striking out seven in a 2–1 Israeli win that went to extra innings.[10] He gave up the run on a fourth-inning double, then retired the next two batters and allowed no further hits for the remainder of his outing.[10] He credited catcher Tal Erel and the team's defense — which turned three double plays — with helping him navigate the game.[10]

His performance against the Czech Republic was characterized as one of the greatest individual outings in Israeli baseball history.[11] Wagman struck out ten and allowed just three hits and one earned run over seven innings. After leaving the mound, he remained in the game by moving to left field. At the plate, he delivered a bunt that scored the tying run, then followed with a single that drove in the winning run in a 3–2 walk-off victory. He finished the game 2-for-2 with two RBIs.[11]

In the semifinal, Israel defeated host Italy 11–5, with Wagman contributing among the players who scored runs to extend Israel's lead to 7–4 in the third inning.[12] He started the championship final against the Netherlands and pitched a scoreless first inning, but was removed after that frame because the workload of two earlier starts had left him fatigued.[13] The Netherlands won the final 9–4, leaving Israel with the silver medal.[4]

Across the tournament, Wagman led all pitchers in starts (three), innings pitched (16), and strikeouts (18), posting a 1.13 ERA.[4] Manager Nate Fish noted that Wagman's ability to pitch deep into tight early games allowed him to remain in those contests as a position player and bat at crucial moments.[4]

Wagman was listed on Israel's 30-man roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he was designated as a relief pitcher and entered as a free agent.[14] His inclusion came in the context of Israel's growing international baseball profile, which had included a seventh-place finish at the 2017 WBC and qualification for the Tokyo Olympics.[14]

Wagman's career with the Israel National Baseball Team reflects the role of diaspora Jews who joined Israeli sport through aliyah and international competition. His 2019 qualifying performances helped Israel reach the Tokyo Olympics for the first time, while his 2021 European Championship campaign — including his tournament-leading pitching totals and two-way outing against the Czech Republic — underscored his importance to Israel's national team.[11][4] He was also described as a "star pitcher for the Israel National Baseball Team."[1]