Hall of Famer Billy Wagner recalls memorable RCBL season; DeLauter makes history - again
Billy Wagner, Courtesy of Ferrum
By David Driver, Special Correspondent
March 27, 2026
BRIDGEWATER – If the pandemic would not have hit the country in 2020, there is a good chance that Will Wagner would have played in one of the top summer college baseball leagues on the East Coast.
But with most wooden-bat circuits shutting down, the son of Hall of Fame pitcher Billy Wagner ended up in the RCBL with Montezuma. He was teammates with pitcher Jacob Haney, the son of former Major League pitcher Chris Haney and the grandson of Larry Haney, a former catcher from Orange County who played with Baltimore, Oakland, Milwaukee, and St. Louis.
“It was one of those great/bad moments,” said the elder Wagner, standing near the first-base dugout at Ray Heatwole Field in March before his Miller School of Albemarle squad faced Turner Ashby in a scrimmage. “That was a unique opportunity. It was fun to watch him play in 2020. He would have probably played in the Cape Cod League” if the pandemic had not shut down that circuit, as well as the Valley Baseball League.
A former closer, Wagner became the sixth native of Virginia to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown with ceremonies last summer. Among those on hand in upstate New York was Miller School assistant coach Terrell Thompson, who played in the RCBL and at Waynesboro High.
As a father, Wagner was able to see his son play several games in the RCBL 2020 season, including games at home and on the road, such as in Clover Hill.
“It was fun. We had a great time,” said Wagner, who had 422 saves in the majors.
The infielder played for his father at The Miller School of Albemarle and starred in college at Division I Liberty University. Will Wagner was drafted out of college by the Houston Astros in 2021, made his Major League debut with Toronto in 2024, then was traded last season by the Blue Jays to the San Diego Padres.
FOUR BIG LEAGUERS
The younger Wagner was one of four former RCBL standouts to appear in the major leagues in 2025, joining TA’s Brenan Hanifee (Detroit Tigers), former Shepherd star Brenton Doyle (Colorado Rockies), and JMU product Chase DeLauter (Cleveland), the 2020 RCBL MVP with Broadway. Hanifee played for Clover Hill, and Doyle saw time with New Market.
That is believed to be the most players to come out of the RCBL – which began in 1924 – to appear in The Show in a single season.
Adam Hackenberg, who also played in the RCBL in 2020, was a catcher at the Triple-A level last season with the Chicago White Sox. He also played for Wagner at the Miller School.
Three RCBL alums appeared in the majors at one point during the 1990 season: Staunton native Larry Sheets (Shenandoah) with the Orioles, Spotswood High and Ferrum product Daryl Irvine (Grottoes) with the Red Sox, and Waynesboro High grad Reggie Harris (Fishersville) with the Oakland A’s.
With “Country Roads” blaring from the stadium speakers in downtown Cleveland, lefty slugger DeLauter stepped into the batter’s box last October for the hometown Guardians.
DeLauter became just the sixth player in big league history to make his MLB debut in postseason play. Hanifee, Doyle, and Wagner were on Opening Day rosters in 2025.
This season, Doyle was on the Opening Day roster with Colorado and DeLauter broke camp with Cleveland for the first time. Doyle has won two Gold Gloves with the Rockies in center.
In his first regular-season game in The Show, DeLauter hit two homers on March 26 as Cleveland won at Seattle – he went deep in the first and ninth innings. The Frederick, Maryland native became the first player in Cleveland franchise history to hit more than one homer in his regular-season debut. “It’s unbelievable,” his father, Jason, told mlb.com. “He’s just worked. He continues to work.”
March 27, 2026
BRIDGEWATER – If the pandemic would not have hit the country in 2020, there is a good chance that Will Wagner would have played in one of the top summer college baseball leagues on the East Coast.
But with most wooden-bat circuits shutting down, the son of Hall of Fame pitcher Billy Wagner ended up in the RCBL with Montezuma. He was teammates with pitcher Jacob Haney, the son of former Major League pitcher Chris Haney and the grandson of Larry Haney, a former catcher from Orange County who played with Baltimore, Oakland, Milwaukee, and St. Louis.
“It was one of those great/bad moments,” said the elder Wagner, standing near the first-base dugout at Ray Heatwole Field in March before his Miller School of Albemarle squad faced Turner Ashby in a scrimmage. “That was a unique opportunity. It was fun to watch him play in 2020. He would have probably played in the Cape Cod League” if the pandemic had not shut down that circuit, as well as the Valley Baseball League.
A former closer, Wagner became the sixth native of Virginia to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown with ceremonies last summer. Among those on hand in upstate New York was Miller School assistant coach Terrell Thompson, who played in the RCBL and at Waynesboro High.
As a father, Wagner was able to see his son play several games in the RCBL 2020 season, including games at home and on the road, such as in Clover Hill.
“It was fun. We had a great time,” said Wagner, who had 422 saves in the majors.
The infielder played for his father at The Miller School of Albemarle and starred in college at Division I Liberty University. Will Wagner was drafted out of college by the Houston Astros in 2021, made his Major League debut with Toronto in 2024, then was traded last season by the Blue Jays to the San Diego Padres.
FOUR BIG LEAGUERS
The younger Wagner was one of four former RCBL standouts to appear in the major leagues in 2025, joining TA’s Brenan Hanifee (Detroit Tigers), former Shepherd star Brenton Doyle (Colorado Rockies), and JMU product Chase DeLauter (Cleveland), the 2020 RCBL MVP with Broadway. Hanifee played for Clover Hill, and Doyle saw time with New Market.
That is believed to be the most players to come out of the RCBL – which began in 1924 – to appear in The Show in a single season.
Adam Hackenberg, who also played in the RCBL in 2020, was a catcher at the Triple-A level last season with the Chicago White Sox. He also played for Wagner at the Miller School.
Three RCBL alums appeared in the majors at one point during the 1990 season: Staunton native Larry Sheets (Shenandoah) with the Orioles, Spotswood High and Ferrum product Daryl Irvine (Grottoes) with the Red Sox, and Waynesboro High grad Reggie Harris (Fishersville) with the Oakland A’s.
With “Country Roads” blaring from the stadium speakers in downtown Cleveland, lefty slugger DeLauter stepped into the batter’s box last October for the hometown Guardians.
DeLauter became just the sixth player in big league history to make his MLB debut in postseason play. Hanifee, Doyle, and Wagner were on Opening Day rosters in 2025.
This season, Doyle was on the Opening Day roster with Colorado and DeLauter broke camp with Cleveland for the first time. Doyle has won two Gold Gloves with the Rockies in center.
In his first regular-season game in The Show, DeLauter hit two homers on March 26 as Cleveland won at Seattle – he went deep in the first and ninth innings. The Frederick, Maryland native became the first player in Cleveland franchise history to hit more than one homer in his regular-season debut. “It’s unbelievable,” his father, Jason, told mlb.com. “He’s just worked. He continues to work.”
ANOTHER HONOR FOR DOYLE
Doyle played at Kettle Run High in Northern Virginia and they retired his No. 7 jersey in February. Shepherd did the same in 2023 with his No. 22 from the West Virginia school.
“To have my high school and college numbers retired is super special,” Doyle told mlb.com. “I remember growing up, playing on so many different fields and seeing numbers hung on the outfield fence -- realizing, ‘A guy from here made it to the pros, so why can’t I?’”
DeLauter hit two homers in a Spring Training game on March 23. “He is a dynamic player,” Cleveland executive Chris Antonetti told MLB.com. “We are excited to have him as part of our lineup as we break camp.”
Hanifee, a right-handed reliever who made his MLB debut in 2023, was a late cut by the Tigers and was sent to Triple-A Toledo. “We want Brenan to continue to address the different weapons he has against left-handed batters,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch told reporters. “We’re going to need more than eight relievers” at some point this season. Hinch told Hanifee the TA grad is just a phone call away from being back with the Tigers.
Wagner, who suffered an oblique injury in early March in Spring Training in Arizona, was not on the Opening Day roster of the Padres this year as he was placed on the 10-day IL.
Ironically, Wagner and Gavin Sheets – the son of Larry – are both in the San Diego system. A lefty slugger, Sheets made the Opening Day roster of the Padres this year and was 0-for-3 against the Tigers.
Billy Wagner, who grew up in southwest Virginia and starred at Ferrum, said it is more stressful to watch his son navigate pro ball than it was to play. The former All-Star appeared in the postseason for four different teams, starting with Houston in 1997.
“Oh my gosh, yes. You know how hard the game is,” Wagner said while in Bridgewater. “You are graded daily. You have to produce. It’s a job. You grind every day. But it is fun to watch his journey.”
Editor’s note: David Driver played baseball at TA, EMU, and Clover Hill and is the co-author of “From Tidewater to the Shenandoah: Snapshots from Virginia’s Rich Baseball Legacy,” available on Amazon and at Rocktown History in Dayton and at Parentheses bookstore in Harrisonburg.
Doyle played at Kettle Run High in Northern Virginia and they retired his No. 7 jersey in February. Shepherd did the same in 2023 with his No. 22 from the West Virginia school.
“To have my high school and college numbers retired is super special,” Doyle told mlb.com. “I remember growing up, playing on so many different fields and seeing numbers hung on the outfield fence -- realizing, ‘A guy from here made it to the pros, so why can’t I?’”
DeLauter hit two homers in a Spring Training game on March 23. “He is a dynamic player,” Cleveland executive Chris Antonetti told MLB.com. “We are excited to have him as part of our lineup as we break camp.”
Hanifee, a right-handed reliever who made his MLB debut in 2023, was a late cut by the Tigers and was sent to Triple-A Toledo. “We want Brenan to continue to address the different weapons he has against left-handed batters,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch told reporters. “We’re going to need more than eight relievers” at some point this season. Hinch told Hanifee the TA grad is just a phone call away from being back with the Tigers.
Wagner, who suffered an oblique injury in early March in Spring Training in Arizona, was not on the Opening Day roster of the Padres this year as he was placed on the 10-day IL.
Ironically, Wagner and Gavin Sheets – the son of Larry – are both in the San Diego system. A lefty slugger, Sheets made the Opening Day roster of the Padres this year and was 0-for-3 against the Tigers.
Billy Wagner, who grew up in southwest Virginia and starred at Ferrum, said it is more stressful to watch his son navigate pro ball than it was to play. The former All-Star appeared in the postseason for four different teams, starting with Houston in 1997.
“Oh my gosh, yes. You know how hard the game is,” Wagner said while in Bridgewater. “You are graded daily. You have to produce. It’s a job. You grind every day. But it is fun to watch his journey.”
Editor’s note: David Driver played baseball at TA, EMU, and Clover Hill and is the co-author of “From Tidewater to the Shenandoah: Snapshots from Virginia’s Rich Baseball Legacy,” available on Amazon and at Rocktown History in Dayton and at Parentheses bookstore in Harrisonburg.