Daniel Vogelbach’s post-playing career continues to be a big hit.
After spending the 2025 season as a special hitting assistant with the Pirates, the ex-Mets slugger is joining the Brewers as a hitting coach in 2026, the team announced Monday.
The retired designated hitter/first baseman joins manager Pat Murphy’s staff in the role held by Eric Theisen, who has been promoted to lead hitting coach.
“He’s a guy that has worn a lot of hats in the big leagues,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold told reporters Monday, per MLB.com. “He’s been a great big league hitter, he’s coming off the bench and prepared, and he just knows how to get ready in all kinds of different roles.”
Vogelbach, 33, last appeared in the majors with the Blue Jays in 2024, slashing a disappointing .186/.286/.300 with just one homer in 31 games before being designated for assignment.
The 6-foot, 270-pound Vogelbach was a polarizing figure in Queens for parts of two seasons after being acquired from the Pirates at the trade deadline in 2022.
The burly basher made a strong first impression, slashing .255/.393/.436 with six homers and 25 RBIs in 55 games down the stretch.
However, 2023 was a different story as the stout slugger’s struggles became an ongoing concern while he stumbled to a .233 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs in 104 games.
Vogelbach’s playing time was a source of tension among then-Mets skipper Buck Schowalter and then general manager Billy Eppler, The Post reported at the time.
The Mets non-tendered Vogelbach in the offseason.
A highly-touted prospect with the Mariners, Vogelbach debuted in 2016 and made the AL All-Star team in 2019 while hitting 30 homers.
But he became a journeyman in the new decade, suiting up for five different teams from 2020-24.
Vogelbach is a familiar face to Milwaukee, having spent parts of two seasons with the Brewers from 2020-21.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
