Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
Former Los Angeles Dodgers draft pick DJ Uiagalelei was waived by the Los Angeles Chargers as they trimmed their roster to 53 players ahead of Sunday’s deadline.
Uiagalelei was competing with Trey Lance for the backup quarterback job behind Justin Herbert. Uiagalelei completed 24 of his 42 preseason passes for 341 yards, two touchdowns and a 99.4 passer rating, but it wasn’t enough to earn a roster spot.
The Chargers are reportedly hoping to add the 25-year-old to their practice squad if he clears waivers, but another team could claim him. Given the value of a quarterback in the NFL, it’s plausible that could happen, but many teams are also set in their QB room with the season just about a week away from starting.
Uiagalelei originally signed with the Chargers after going unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was among the team’s final roster cuts and spent the entire season on their practice squad.
The Dodgers rolled the dice by selecting Uiagalelei in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft.
Uiagalelei opted not to sign with the Dodgers and instead stayed in college. At the time, he was primarily focused on football and slated to be the starting quarterback for the Oregon State Beavers.
Before that, Uiagalelei spent the first three seasons of his college career with the Clemson Tigers. He later transferred to Florida State University for his senior season, where he struggled mightily as the Seminoles’ quarterback.
DJ Uiagalelei’s baseball career
Uiagalelei was a two-sport athlete when he last played baseball at St. John Bosco High School (Bellflower, Calif.), where he made just three appearances with a 4.50 ERA in 4.2 IP with five strikeouts. Uiagalelei’s fastball at the time reached the mid-90s.
Given that he was the Dodgers’ final pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, the 610th overall selection, and hasn’t played baseball since high school, it never seemed likely that Uiagalelei would sign with them. The Dodgers viewed it as a low-risk decision with some potential upside if he was tempted to give baseball a chance as a professional.
But Uiagaleli is fully committed to football and should have clarity on his future in the coming days, whether that is with the Chargers or another NFL team.
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