Late bloomer, fan favorite, future big-league manager. Those all describe Stephen Vogt. Vogt (pronounced ‘vote’) made his major league debut at age 27 after six years in the Tampa Bay Rays minor league system. The catcher’s first season was a disaster: 0-for-25 in a late-season stint. The following spring, Vogt was purchased by the Oakland Athletics. After splitting time between the minors and the bigs for Oakland, Vogt became a full-time starter behind the dish and earned All-Star status in both 2015 and 2016.

Vogt was drafted in the 12th round of the 2007 MLB Amateur draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He only played 18 games for Tampa Bay before being sold to Oakland. After four and one-half seasons with the A’s, he was selected off waivers by the Brewers in June 2017. 

He split time behind the plate with Manny Pina but was lost to a sprained MCL in his left knee in mid-July. Vogt missed a month but played well upon his return, batting .255/.271/.457 across 97 plate appearances in 33 games with seven doubles and four HRs. In the offseason before the 2018 campaign, Vogt worked on improving his game, but during spring training hurt his throwing shoulder. After a couple months of rehab, Vogt played three games in the minors as a warm-up for his return to Milwaukee. Unfortunately, he reinjured his shoulder on his last day of rehab, which resulted in season-ending surgery. Vogt traveled with the Brewers the last few months of the season, acting in a role that Vogt called ‘a weird hybrid of player-coach.’ The time spent in the dugout with the team was a learning experience, one that would be helpful in the future.

Vogt was well-traveled his last four years in the majors, playing for San Francisco, Arizona, Atlanta, and for one final year (2022) in Oakland. After announcing his retirement on September 22, Vogt slammed a home run in his last major league at-bat on October 5 in a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

In early 2023, Vogt was hired by the Seattle Mariners to become their bullpen and quality control coach. Prior to the 2024 season, Vogt was tabbed by the Cleveland Guardians to become their manager. Vogt led the former Indians to a pair of American League Central titles. In 2024, the Guardians made it all the way to ALCS before falling to the New York Yankees in five games.