Report: Braves player emerging as serious managerial candidate

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, former Braves catcher Stephen Vogt is emerging as the main candidate for the Cleveland Guardians’ managing job.

Vogt played 10 years in the major leagues, appearing in two All-Star games with the Oakland Athletics in 2015 and 2016. His lone World Series ring, however, came in 2021 as a member of the Atlanta Braves.

Atlanta was in a world of hurt when it came to the catcher position that year. Tyler Flowers opted to retire, and Travis d’Arnaud went down for most of the season after tearing a ligament in his hand. That left the Braves starting the likes of a fresh-faced Willian Contreras, Kevan Smith, Jeff Mathis, and finally Stephen Vogt after he was acquired from the Diamondbacks. Vogt appeared in 26 games for the Braves and didn’t do much offensively, but his veteran presence was a welcomed sight in the clubhouse. Thankfully, Travis d’Arnaud was able to heal up before Atlanta’s eventual World Series run, catching every game during the postseason.

Stephen Vogt finished his career by returning to Oakland, where he spent the majority of his time. As previously stated, Passan coached for the Seattle Mariners this season and is already attracting interest from teams with managerial positions. It appears that Vogt, who is still only 40 years old, will soon be in charge of a major-league club.