Former Athletics catcher Stephen Vogt capped off a 10-year MLB career by hitting a home run in his final at-bat against the Los Angeles Angels for a storybook ending last season.
It’s been a few months since that joyful moment for A’s fans and Vogt at the Oakland Coliseum. Now the 38-year-old is ready to start his post-playing career by climbing the ladder that he hopes might lead to an MLB managerial job.
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The Seattle Mariners announced Tuesday that Vogt is joining their coaching staff for the 2023 MLB season as their bullpen and quality control coach.
“It felt like the right fit to get my feet wet in the coaching world and then learn from Scott and his staff and [assistant general manager] Andy [McKay] and all of them, and get my foot in the door for the second half of my career,” Vogt told MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer. “And what a great opportunity to join the Mariners.”
Joining the Mariners’ coaching staff will be a new experience for Vogt, who hasn’t worked with any of Seattle’s coaches or front-office members. Nonetheless, it didn’t stop McKay from reaching out and gauging Vogt’s interest in joining their coaching staff.
“The team is in an exciting spot,” Vogt said. “And this role for me, being with the bullpen and being able to help in all kinds of other areas too with the catching and the game planning, I just felt that it fit my skill set really well. I think one of the biggest parts of my career as a catcher was my relationships with pitchers.”
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During Vogt’s conversation with NBC Sports California’s Brodie Brazil in September, the former catcher says he wants to build his reputation as a coach to become a future manager. The Mariners have opened the door for Vogt, and now he’ll look to make the most of his opportunity.
"I know you have to earn your stripes, and you have to get there," Vogt told Brazil. "And so I think for me; obviously, my goal is to one day manage, and I always set my sights very high, and I'm not afraid to hear no. I'm not afraid to fall flat on my face."
