Ex-Mets trade bust Daniel Vogelbach named Special Hitting Assistant for Pirates

Former Mets trade deadline bust Daniel Vogelbach is in Bradenton's Pirate City as a special assistant to the Pirates hitting department.

New York Mets designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach (32) reacts after striking out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning at Citi Field. | John Jones-Imagn Images

One of 2023's most popular players in the New York Mets clubhouse is now spreading good vibes to an entire organization.

Slugger Daniel Vogelbach, who served as New York's designated hitter in 2022 and 2023, has joined the Pittsburgh Pirates organization as a special assistant to the hitting department. The news was first reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Noah Hiles.

In other news, Daniel Vogelbach is here at Pirate City. He has been hired by the organization as a special assistant to the hitting department.

— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) February 12, 2025

Vogelbach, 32, played in 104 games for the Mets in 2023 after being acquired in July of 2022. Hitting ..241 with a .774 OPs during his season and a half in Queens, Vogelbach hit 19 home runs for the team across 159 total games. Predominately used in a designated hitter platoon during his time with the team, Vogelbach primarily played against righties, getting just 16 at-bats against left-handed pitching in 2023.

While his power production may have been underwhelming for a player listed at 275 pounds, his impact extended farther than just the on-field production.

Well-liked in the clubhouse, Vogelbach was particularly close with stars Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso and took on a leadership role with the team, discussing losses with the media. Lindor and Vogelbach had a long relationship in baseball, as the two played on a travel ball team together during their high school days in Florida.

While the burly slugger underachieved in his sole year for the Mets, he did so while shutting out the outside noise from fans about his performance. From May to early July, he hit just .179 and saw nearly 90% of his at-bats end in a ground ball, strikeout, or pop-up, prompting boos from fans.

Vogelbach persevered through the boos, however, finding his stroke in the second half. Hitting .258 from July 1st through the end of the season, the designated hitter had eight homers, fifteen runs, and 25 RBI to help stabilize a roster that jettisoned seven players at the trade deadline.

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After his strong finish, Vogelbach signed a $2M deal with the Toronto Blue Jays as pitchers and catchers were reporting in 2024. He made the active roster and began the season in a designated hitter platoon with veteran Justin Turner, but hit just .186 in 79 plate appearances and was designated for assignment in early June.

Now he's on the other side of the game, following in the footsteps of his father Dan, who coached him in baseball at Bishop Verot High School in Ft. Myers, FL. Coaching runs deep through the family - his brother Josh is the school's football coach.

As for Vogelbach's disappointing tenure with the Mets, it will always be remembered as a massive blunder since former GM Billy Eppler gave up promising controllable righty reliever Colin Holderman in the deal at the 2022 trade deadline. Holderman, 29, posted an impressive 3.16 ERA in 55 appearances in Pittsburgh's bullpen last season.