Billy Wagner is adding another Hall of Fame honor, and this one close to home.
The Sports Authority Foundation announced Wednesday that the former Astros closer will be inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame this fall, joining J.J. Watt and Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching as members of the 2026 class. Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the Texans’ all-time sack leader, is perhaps as well known for his humanitarian work as his football career—he raised over $41 million for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in 2017.
Wagner’s path to stardom was anything but typical. At 5 foot 10, he drew little attention from major college programs and landed at Ferrum College, a Division III school in Virginia. There, he became one of the most dominant pitchers in NCAA history, posting a 17-3 record with a 1.63 ERA and setting a Division III single-season record with 19.1 strikeouts per nine innings, earning First-Team All-American honors in 1993.
The Astros selected Wagner with the 12th overall pick that year, and he quickly became one of the most dominant relievers in franchise history. He spent his first nine seasons in Houston, setting the club record with 225 saves and striking out 694 batters as a reliever.
Over a 16-year career, Wagner recorded 422 saves (eighth all-time), a 2.31 ERA, and 1,196 strikeouts in just 903 innings. He retired with the highest strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate (11.92) and lowest opponent batting average (.187) among pitchers with at least 900 innings. A seven-time All-Star, he also won the 1999 NL Rolaids Relief Award.
Wagner was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025 and had his No. 13 retired by the Astros that same year. Since 2013, he has served as head baseball coach at the Miller School of Albemarle in Virginia, leading the program to multiple state championships, while remaining active in charitable work through the Wagner Family Foundation.
“Houston was home for me—my kids have homes there—so I’m really excited about this,” Wagner said in a statement.
The formal induction ceremony is scheduled for fall 2026, with a specific date yet to be announced. Wagner will become the sixth Astro inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame, joining Nolan Ryan, Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Roger Clemens, and Lance Berkman.