Controversial former Met Daniel Vogelbach becomes part of Brewers coaching team

Daniel Vogelbach’s Coaching Journey

Daniel Vogelbach’s career after playing is truly taking off.

Following a stint as a special hitting assistant with the Pirates in 2025, the former Mets slugger is set to become the hitting coach for the Brewers in 2026. This was confirmed by the team on Monday.

The retired DH and first baseman will join manager Pat Murphy’s staff, stepping in for Eric Theisen, who has been promoted to the role of head hitting coach.

“He’s a guy who’s worn a lot of hats in the big leagues,” noted Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold in a media briefing. “He’s a great big league hitter, and he understands how to prepare for different roles.”

Vogelbach, now 33, was last seen in the majors with the Blue Jays in 2024, where he struggled with a .186/.286/.300 batting line, hitting just one home run in 31 games before being drafted.

Standing at 6 feet and weighing 270 pounds, Vogelbach created a mix of opinions among fans during his time with the Mets after being traded from the Pirates at the 2022 deadline. Initially, he made a strong impression, posting a .255/.393/.436 line with six home runs and 25 RBIs over 55 games.

In contrast, 2023 was quite challenging, as he hit .233 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs in 104 games. There were reports of rising tensions regarding his playing time between former Mets captain Buck Showalter and then-general manager Billy Eppler.

Ultimately, the Mets decided not to tender Vogelbach as a free agent during the offseason.

A product of the Mariners organization, Vogelbach made his MLB debut in 2016 and earned an AL All-Star spot in 2019 with 30 home runs. However, his journey in the league has led him to five different teams between 2020 and 2024.