The Guardians have their next manager. Cleveland announced the hiring of longtime MLB catcher Stephen Vogt on Monday afternoon. It’s reportedly a three-year contract running through the 2026 season.
Vogt, who recently celebrated his 39th birthday, made his big league debut for the Rays in 2012. He went on to play for five more organizations over his ten seasons in the majors, including six years with the A’s. During his time in Oakland, Vogt slashed .246/.308/.406 good for a roughly league average wRC+ of 98 and was named an All Star in both 2015 and 2016. He also played for the Brewers, Diamondbacks, Giants, and Braves throughout his big league career. Upon retiring from playing following the 2022 season, Vogt was hired by the Mariners to act as a bullpen and quality control coach in Seattle.
Vogt will now step into the shoes of the recently-retired Terry Francona as Guardians manager. It’s a remarkable achievement for the former catcher, who moves into the role just one year removed from his time as a player. As quick an ascent to the managerial chair as Vogt has had, it’s hardly an unexpected one. Vogt publicly voiced his managerial aspirations while he was still a player back in 2020, and he has long been regarded as up to the task among those in the game. Bob Melvin, who managed Vogt in Oakland and has since moved from the Padres to the Giants, noted even as Vogt was first retiring from professional play that his long-time player “definitely has a future in managing” while adding that his value in the clubhouse during his playing career was “immeasurable.”
Such a strong endorsement from a well-respect big league manager surely gives the Guardians assurance that he’ll be able to lead their roster into an uncertain 2024 campaign. After making a surprise run to the playoffs in 2022, Cleveland faced regression from many of their young players and injuries to key members of their pitching staff as they wound up finishing third in a weak AL Central with a 76-86 record. As the club looks to rebound next season, president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti was particularly effusive in his praise of the longtime catcher in a statement today.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Stephen and his family to Northeast Ohio and to name him the next manager of the Cleveland Guardians,” Antonetti said in the statement, “Stephen earned a reputation as one of the best teammates in the game across his 16-year career as a player, and we’ve greatly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know him over the past several weeks. Stephen has thought critically about the type of leader and manager he wants to be. His deep care for others, his ability to build meaningful relationships with those around him, and his open-mindedness and curiosity make him an ideal fit to lead our club moving forward. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Stephen.”
While the Guardians are clearly pleased to have Vogt in the fold, it’s worth noting that all indications have pointed to longtime Brewers manager Craig Counsell as the club’s top choice for the role. Counsell is a free agent for the first time since becoming Milwaukee’s manager midway through the 2015 campaign, and has received considerable interest from each of the Guardians, Mets, and Brewers already this offseason. While the thinking throughout the game has largely been that the Guardians were a distant third among the three in terms of likelihood to land Counsell, a Wisconsin native who had a strong working relationship with new Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns during their time in Milwaukee, Jon Heyman of the New York Post makes clear that Cleveland’s interest in Counsell was real, noting that the club made a “serious, sincere run” at hiring the 53-year-old.
Beyond the possibility of hiring Counsell, it seems that Cleveland’s preference in replacing Francona may have been a rookie manager. Setting aside Counsell, it seems that Yankee bench coach Carlos Mendoza was the runner-up for Cleveland’s managerial gig. The 43-year-old was reportedly a favorite for the role along with Vogt in the event that Counsell declined, and has also received interest from a variety of clubs with managerial vacancies this offseason including the Mets and Padres.
Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com first reported the Guardians were hiring Vogt. Jeff Passan of ESPN reported it would be a three-year deal.
I am ok with this hire. He has a great baseball mind but is also young enough to relate to the younger squad in Cleveland. Go Guards!
He’s an energy guy. He’s good with media. Tons of charity work off the field.
How does charity work off the field translate to being a good Major League Baseball manager? I’m all for helping others and doing charity work but not sure how that will help in this role.
Vogt lives in my town, and I recently spoke to a contractor who has done some work for Stephen and his wife. He said Stephen couldn’t have been nicer. A real joy to be around. Go get ’em Stephen!
Charity work – leadership, sounds like relatable to me.
Sign up the Manager at the local McDonalds. They have leadership abilities….
Not really. When’s the last time they got your order right and have you looked how clean any McDonald’s is in back?
Lol we must be neighbors…I’m sad to see Vogt leave as he’s a hometown guy but happy for him as well for the promotion.
Congratulations, he deserves a shot.
Curious, Balk – why does he deserve a shot?
As a Giants fan, I’ve followed reports from the dugout of how great of a baseball mind he has. I’ve also watched and have seen the respect the players have given him throughout the years, have gravitated towards him always picking his mind. I mean I could be biased, but stand by my comment
All good – thanks for the follow-up and opinion. To me, ‘deserves’ implies he paid his dues and/or showed his ability to manage somewhere prior, not just as a good clubhouse guy. But not wishing ill will, seems like a decent guy.
I would agree in some part when talking about “deserving” and probably could’ve used a different word, but he did play in the show and many of his teammates thought he would be a great manager one day. So all in all he’s at least worth a shot, right? But what do I know, I’m just an old man.
Former catcher, analytically sound, and an S class human. Also helps that he retired last year, so he’s in touch with the current day MLB. You’ll never know how a manager will end up, but I’m excited
Was hoping the Brewers would hire him.
That was a rapid ascent for Vogt! Ok…a fresh new managerial mind. Good luck, Guardians.
We believe in Steve!
Interesting. I thought Counsell was their first choice.
He might have been but the Guardians were likely not Counsell’s first choice.
I think he’s headed to NY.
Or Counsell’s salary expectations were a bit too big for the low spending club.
This is not an unreasonable assumption, but keep in mind they’ve employed Francona for years, and Tito was the highest paid manager in the game at $4.5MM a year. Managers with no experience cost less than a million, so Cleveland likely looks at this as a way to save at least $4MM. I think Vogt can be a good manager eventually, but they probably opted for a couple less wins in 2024 while Vogt has on-the-job training.
Watch him win it. Cleveland has talent. Maybe it needed a new mind to deploy it properly. Experience doesn’t always mean better. I’ve taught plenty of 20 year old guys to be better electricians than any guy who was union trained to sit on his booty for 20 years. EveryBODY is different.
They probably knew where they stood on his list, most likely third.
Maybe 4th. MIL, NYM, HOU
What makes the Mets position seem more attractive than the Astros or Guardians?
Huge Budget, Bigger City, Spotlight front and center, etc…..
Its been reported he wants $7 mill/year. Cleveland instantly moves to the bottom of his list.
And? Cleveland threw $6 million at a catcher coming off of thoracic outlet surgery last offseason with Naylor steps away from the big leagues. Francona was the highest paid manager last year. The Mets are a sinking ship
Players and Managers are completely different….
No way Cleveland pays 5yr/40mil for him.
Good to be willing to work cheap
He’s a first time guy, but I think a good choice. I’m always partial to former catchers though.
They hired him a day before Election Day….Vogt
Early Vogting
Hoynes predicted Counsell
He’s inheriting a Tito guided squad, that has to help. Good luck to Vogt.
I believe in Stephen Vogt
He was loved as a player, hopefully that translates and he is a good manager as well. Good luck in Cleveland.
Good for them. Every team should snub Counsell and his weasely ways. The Mets should go with Mendoza and Milwaukee should find someone new out of spite.
How is it Weasley? He is looking for a job. You just look at one job and that’s it? Lol. Just because it is a sport. Anyone has a right to look for what they want. Anyone. And they should not be judged for it at all.
Feels like an attempt to catch some Kevin Cash 2.0 magic in a bottle – an.analytics-forward former catcher in his 30s previously working as a bullpen coach immediately before being hired to his first managerial gig.. We’ll see if it works out for them!
Interesting choice for a coach, but it will work.
Good luck out there, Vogt.
He wasn’t Just a catcher, he could play all over the field, he knows how to work with a pitching staff. This might work. Just surprised how quickly it happened.
@James
Much though I loved Stephen Vogt to bits, he played about 180 innings in the outfield. Fair few games at 1B, I’d agree, but suggesting he was some sort of utility player might be stretching it a bit.
Regardless, I think he is a really good hire. He’ll be a junior Tito. And he’ll be clever enough not to charge too many parts too quickly…
I hope he does well. He has a reputation that he’d be a good manager.
Congrats Vogt! Cleveland got a great guy on their new Skipper.
They are either incredibly smart or incredibly stupid.
Vogt got a managerial position before the Cardinals gave Yadi a shot. Marmol needs to go.
When Stephen Vogt played for oakland, I was watching batting practice with my young son in Arlington. A foul ball grazed him, and Vogt came over to make sure he was ok. Vogt ended up talking to my son for a few minutes, and asked him who his favorite player was. My son said “Adrian beltre”. Vogt smiled and said “yeah…me too”
He’s always been a favorite in our household. I hope he does well
Vote for Vogt in ‘24!
Hardly a surprise, honestly. He seems to fit well with the front office, they made their go at Counsell.
It still seems far fetched for Counsell to the Mets given their competitive timeline, but money talks all else walks.
Former catcher, incredible clubhouse guy when he played, and as a bullpen coach you’d think he would have an understanding of how to manage a bullpen which is one of the toughest strategical aspects of managing.
He’s also a young guy who’s played recently and can be a great role model and influence on a young team. It’s hard not to be thrilled about this.
It will remain to be seen how good this hire is, but I think it’s worth giving him a chance.
Gonna miss him in Seattle, but good luck to him in Cleveland!
Cleveland goes from hiring one of the most experienced and successful managers, a future HOFer, to one with no experience. Not saying it’s a wrong decision, just a curious one.
Feels like the next two managers to be hired will be Counsell and Mendoza in NY and Milwaukee. Question is who goes where? I simply can’t see Cohen and Stearns not doing whatever it takes to land Counsell. It would be a huge black eye if they can’t.
@Almond – nice message, great story.
I trust the A’s won that game?
Vogt was a decent hire in my opinion. Being a bullpen coach for one season right after retiring from playing probably does not give you enough experience to be an effective manager, but replacing a HOF quality manager means putting in a disposable one and hoping for the best.
Green was the manager for 4 years in San Diego. He would not have been a rookie manager.
Great hire. Wish the A’s or Giants would have hired him
He got enough Vogts I guess
Great hire for you Guards fans. We will miss him here in Seattle. Wish we would’ve fired Servais and promoted Vogt internally. Best of luck to you Stephen!!
Player/manager ala Pete Rose? Probably good enough to be a utility 3rd catcher for most rosters that would carry a 3rd catcher pinch hitter type.
The author may have ‘missed’ Andy Green’s time managing the Padres because he was so, so bad…but he would not have been a first time manager if he was hired in Cleveland.
Has anyone seen criteria to predict a manager’s success? I’ve seen them for NFL QBs and HCs, so someone should have sabermetrics for MLB managers too. Here’s an intangible take that might bode well for Vogt:
imaginesports.com/news/good-mlb-manager-story-of-b….
Who Vogted for this?
People are sharing stories about how this guy is basically Mother Teresa…I couldn’t care less as long as it wins us baseball games
The 1st mlb manager had no mlb management experience either.
Must work cheap if Dolan the owner hired him to manage the Wokes.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…..
THANK YOU FOR NOT HIRING GREG ALBERNAZ!!!!!
I wanted Mendoza, Espada, or Rouglas Odor; a minority manager with a more varied background but I’m all in support for Vogt. He seems like he is smart, good with players, and honest; that doesn’t guarantee success but it does make a good start .
I like that they hired Vogt. Maybe they are trying to be like TB with Cash. He was a bullpen coach for a few years and look how well he’s done.
Plus I hope he has another catcher as his bench coach…Sandy!!
Sandy doesn’t want to be a bench coach. He wants to continue to be first base coach and catching coach.
Wish him well. Still can’t believe Francona won’t be in the Indians dugout.
So what, now the Brewers and the Angels will have to eat the leftovers? But who’s even left?
Ross great choice for Brewers, Padres or Angels.
Ross propaply going to brewers. Showalter to the angels,and Mike shift to padres.
I agree except I think it’s time to move on from Showalter, Benji Gil perfect for Angels.