Ryan Wagner

Ryan Scott Wagner (born July 15, 1982) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals. Wagner was an All-American closer for the University of Houston.

Early life Wagner played college baseball with the Houston Cougars in 2002 and 2003. In his second year there, Wagner set a school record by recording 15 saves and he had 148 strikeouts in innings pitched. His ratio of 16.8 strikeouts per nine innings broke an NCAA Division I record that was almost 40 years old. He was named a First-Team All-American by several organizations. Wagner was selected in the first round (14th overall) by the Reds in the 2003 draft.

Career When Wagner debuted with the Cincinnati Reds in 2003, he was the first player from that year's draft to make the major leagues. Wagner, along with Pete Orr and Chad Cordero, rejected his assignment to Triple-A, becoming a free agent on October 30, 2008. Shortly thereafter, Wagner re-signed with Washington.

Wagner announced his retirement from baseball on May 18, 2009.