The Pirates announced on Wednesday that they have hired Daniel Vogelbach as a special assistant in their hitting department, according to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. While there had been no official announcement regarding the 32-year-old’s retirement, it seems he is transitioning to a post-playing role.
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Vogelbach spent parts of nine seasons in Major League Baseball, earning an All-Star selection in 2019 with the Mariners after hitting 30 home runs. That was his best full season until 2022. In 2022, he signed a one-year deal with the Pirates for a modest $1MM base salary. The move paid off as he posted a .228/.338/.430 line across 75 games. Pittsburgh traded him early in the season for reliever Colin Holderman, who is expected to play a significant role in the team’s bullpen this year.
Vogelbach was then traded to the Mets, where he hit .255/.393/.436 during the final stretch of the season. He performed well enough for New York to bring him back for the 2023 season, though his numbers dipped to a more average .233/.339/.404 line. Last season, he appeared in 31 games with the Blue Jays, which seems to have been his final major league action.
Should he retire, Vogelbach will leave the game with a career .219/.340/.405 batting line over 602 games. He hit 81 home runs and drove in 246 RBIs while playing for five teams. His brief time with the Pirates left a strong impression on the front office and coaching staff. MLBTR wishes Vogelbach the best in this next chapter of his career.
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