Stephen Vogt

Vogt joined the Diamondbacks for the 2020 campaign, his third team in his last three healthy seasons. He struggled to a 42 wRC+, the lowest mark of his career since his 27 plate appearance major-league debut in 2012. While his strikeout rate and plate discipline metrics remain in line with his career norms, Vogt struggled with his quality of contact. He managed only two barrels in 55 batted ball events. Further illustrating his poor contact are Vogt's 43.6% rate of getting under pitches and topping an additional 27.3% - leaving little room for well hit balls. Without the power to get those fly balls over the fence, Vogt's average plummeted to .167 thanks to a .204 BABIP. Vogt joined the Diamondbacks on a base one-year deal, with an incentive based on games started, which he met. That means Vogt will remain in Arizona for a second season, likely to be the primary backup to young backstop Carson Kelly.

Heading into 2019, Vogt was expected to serve strictly in a backup role behind Buster Posey, but Posey wore down late as the injuries mounted, opening the door for Vogt to serve in a timeshare behind the plate by the end of the season. Vogt seemed to make a conscious effort to trade some contact for power; his high-teens strikeout rate jumped to 23.6% last season, while his barrel rate jumped from 6.6% to 10.4% and his hard-hit rate leapt 10 percentage points. With that, and with a little help from the juiced ball, Vogt's rate power numbers reached new levels and Vogt was above league average with the bat for the first time since 2015. Vogt was not a free agent for long, signing a one-year deal with the Diamondbacks in November. Entering his age-35 season, Vogt will form a catching tandem with Carson Kelly, who is the vastly superior defensive option of the two.

Expected to serve as the Brewers' part-time catcher in 2018, Vogt instead missed the entire season after undergoing surgery in May on his right shoulder capsule and rotator cuff. The Brewers decided to let him pursue opportunities elsewhere during the offseason. His days as a regular catcher are behind him. He has the potential to provide adequate offense at the position, but his throwing arm was already the weakest part of his game, and now, coming off surgery, there may not be a team willing to overlook his defensive shortcomings, even if he is an 80-grade teammate.

Despite making the All-Star Game the previous two seasons, the A's designated Vogt for assignment midway through 2017, and the Brewers snapped him up to improve their catching depth next to Manny Pina. They shared the playing time behind the plate the rest of the way when healthy, as the left-handed Vogt provided a useful complement to the right-handed Pina. While Vogt provided some pop for the Brewers, his batting average and OBP both fell for the second year in a row, and his .290 OBP against right-handers was particularly unsightly. The Brewers elected to bring him back for another year by tendering him a contract in December, but he is looking at playing some sort of part-time role again in 2018, and he may even be forced to compete for a roster spot to stay in Milwaukee during spring training.

A catcher-eligible player supplementing his playing time with frequent at-bats as designated hitter can provide a helpful advantage late in drafts. That's what makes Vogt's often pedestrian statistics look somewhat intriguing. In fact, there's not a whole lot to get excited about. While he makes a lot of contact, his batting eye doesn't shine, and he couldn't sustain his sudden on-base growth from 2015. Almost half of Vogt's batted balls turn into flies, which caps his average upside, and all those lofts haven't given him a power boost. In two-catcher leagues, he'll stand out among the No. 2 options for his almost guaranteed role in the middle of the batting order. But it's not a strong one, so he doesn't get a boost by proxy, and obviously, O.co Coliseum favors pitchers. While there's something to be said for a catcher with a floor of 10-15 home runs over around 500 at-bats, settling for him will make a drafter miss out on more exciting names.

At the All-Star break, Vogt was sitting with a .872 OPS with 14 homers, but he fell off after the break with a .630 OPS and four homers the rest of the way. Vogt provided a lot of value at his draft price, but the extreme drop-off for the second year in a row has to be a concern for the A's and fantasy owners. It is possible that catching may wear on Vogt as the season goes on, which may lead to more starts at first base going forward. Vogt's walk rate spiked up to 11 percent from 2014's 5.6%, but his strikeout rate also took a bump up from 13.6% to 19 percent, while he also hit fewer flyballs last season. Vogt is a solid option considering the lack of great options at catcher, especially in two-catcher leagues, but after a year where he was a fantastic draft value, he will be hard pressed to provide significant profit from his 2016 price.

After Vogt was called up at the start of June, he had a dream season, hitting .350 through two months and becoming a right field bleacher fan favorite as "I Believe in Stephen Vogt" rattled through the cement concourse of the O.Co Coliseum. Vogt then hurt his right foot and his left ankle, injuries which kept him from being able to catch much in the second half and contributed to a large slump. Not surprisingly, he had an OPS of only .637 in the second half while playing at less than 100 percent after a first-half OPS of .920, and he hit a meager .186 in the final two months of the season. Vogt had surgery on his right foot after the season and should be ready for spring training. His real value lies somewhere in the middle of his first- and second-half numbers, and that profile presents some value, especially in leagues where Vogt qualifies at catcher. Vogt will likely play against righties, while spending time behind the plate, at first base, and in the outfield in 2015.

Vogt was pressed into regular action for the A's after John Jaso was injured, and he responded by hitting .252 with four home runs over 135 at-bats. Vogt is a career .300 hitter over seven seasons in the minors and managed a strong .945 OPS in nearly 300 Triple-A at-bats in 2013. Vogt figures to have a tough time getting playing time in 2014 if John Jaso is healthy, but concussion symptoms (which sidelined Jaso last season) at the catcher spot are scary and Vogt could find his way on the strong side of a platoon with Derek Norris at some point in 2014.

Vogt made multiple brief trips to the majors with the Rays in 2012 and in 25 at-bats, did not log a hit. Contrary to that streak, he has actually hit quite well in the minor leagues. At Triple-A Durham he hit .272/.350/.424 with nine home runs and 43 RBI in 94 games. This is coming off a season in 2011 in which he was named the Rays' Minor League Player of the Year when he hit 17 home runs with 105 RBI. The Rays have quite a bit of uncertainty at the catcher position, but Vogt is a ways down the organizational depth chart. He should see some time in the big leagues but most likely will again bounce between Tampa Bay and Durham in 2013.