Bay Area Sports: Ranking the Top 30 Players

Sep 2, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics pinch hitter Stephen Vogt (21) runs to third base for a triple against the Los Angeles Angels during the eighth inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

#18 – Stephen Vogt, Oakland Athletics

Athletics’ fans believe in their catcher Stephen Vogt, and for good reason. He’s had one of those baseball journeys that seems almost unbelievable.

Vogt was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 12th round in 2007, and in 2012 he made his big league debut as a 27-year-old rookie. In 18 games that year, Vogt was hitless in 25 at-bats. In the offseason that year, the Rays traded him to the Athletics.

Vogt, despite mostly being a bench player in his first two seasons, became extremely popular among the A’s fanbase very quickly. In his first season as the regular catcher in 2015, Vogt was named an All-Star, and had a very nice season for a downtrodden A’s team. He slashed .261/.341/.443 and finished second on the team in both home runs (18) and RBI (71).

Like his teammate Reddick, Vogt is a fun-loving guy and has given some fantastic interviews on television. His best work may be his impression of an NBA ref, complete with a headband, high-waisted shorts, and a wonderful set of stirrups. Maybe if the baseball thing doesn’t work out for Vogt, he can join the NBA officiating crew. He can’t be any worse than Joey Crawford.

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