(Cleveland) The Cleveland Guardians have hired Stephen Vogt, a catcher who worked in the major leagues and who has never managed a baseball team, as their new manager to succeed Terry Francona, the team announced Monday.
Vogt was the coach of the Seattle Mariners last season.
The 38-year-old may not have managerial experience, but he was an ideal candidate according to the Guardians, who also spoke with Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell last week.
Vogt, a two-time All-Star, played for six teams in 10 seasons before announcing his retirement with the Oakland Athletics in 2022. He hit a long ball in his final at-bat with the Athletics, thus capping a career he hoped to extend by becoming a manager in the major leagues.
The Guardians will begin a new chapter in their history after being led for 11 seasons by Francona, the most successful coach in the Ohio franchise’s 123-year history. Francona, who led the Guardians to the playoffs six times, recently announced his departure. However, he intends to remain in the organization, in a role that has not yet been defined.
The Guardians called a press conference to introduce Vogt on Friday.
