Older managers have thrived in October in recent years, despite the trend of younger, more analytical managers throughout MLB.
The last three World Series-winning managers were all north of 65 years old, and the youngest manager to even get a team to the World Series in the last three years was 58. The Guardians, however, went younger after Terry Francona stepped away last year — much younger.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt is one of the youngest managers in baseball and was an active player just two years ago. That hasn’t held him back in his first year in Cleveland, leading a resurgent season and taking the franchise to the ALCS for the first time in eight years.
Here’s what you need to know about Vogt’s age and where he ranks among the youngest MLB managers.
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How old is Stephen Vogt?
Vogt is 39 years old. He’s set to turn 40 on Nov. 1.
Vogt was one of eight managers hired ahead of the 2024 season, but he was unique for a few reasons. His playing career had just ended about 13 months earlier, and his coaching experience was extremely limited. Vogt spent his first year off the field as a quality control and bullpen coach with the Mariners.
At the same time, Vogt spent most of his career catching. The catcher-to-manager pipeline is a common one because of what the position requires from a leadership standpoint. Catchers also have a unique understanding of both hitting and pitching compared to every other position.
The Guardians evidently came away impressed when they interviewed Vogt. They took a risk on a young manager who has his finger on the pulse of how to communicate with today’s players, and it paid off with a 16-win improvement in 2024.
Youngest MLB managers
Vogt is the second-youngest manager in baseball, behind only Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol.
| Manager | Age | Team |
| Oliver Marmol | 38 | Cardinals |
| Stephen Vogt | 39 | Guardians |
| Rocco Baldelli | 43 | Twins |
| John Schneider | 44 | Blue Jays |
| Carlos Mendoza | 44 | Mets |
| Kevin Cash | 46 | Rays |
| Mark Kotsay | 48 | Athletics |
| Alex Cora | 49 | Red Sox |
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Vogt is one of two managers under 40 years old, though he will turn 40 at the start of November. There is a sizable gap between Vogt and the third-youngest manager, 43-year-old Rocco Baldelli, followed by 44-year-old skippers John Schneider and Rocco Baldelli.
The next wave of managers could slide Vogt down the list, but the Guardians manager is part of a youth movement in the role right now.
Stephen Vogt MLB stats
| Season | Team(s) | Games | AVG | HR | RBI | OPS |
| 2012 | Rays | 18 | .000 | 0 | 0 | .074 |
| 2013 | Athletics | 47 | .252 | 4 | 16 | .695 |
| 2014 | Athletics | 84 | .279 | 9 | 35 | .752 |
| 2015 | Athletics | 136 | .261 | 18 | 71 | .783 |
| 2016 | Athletics | 137 | .251 | 14 | 56 | .711 |
| 2017 | OAK/MIL | 99 | .233 | 12 | 40 | .708 |
| 2019 | Giants | 99 | .263 | 10 | 40 | .804 |
| 2020 | Diamondbacks | 26 | .167 | 1 | 7 | .525 |
| 2021 | ARI/ATL | 78 | .195 | 7 | 25 | .616 |
| 2022 | Athletics | 70 | .161 | 7 | 23 | .562 |
| Career | 794 | .239 | 82 | 213 | .707 |
Vogt earned a pair of All-Star selections with the A’s in 2015 and 2016, hitting a career-high 18 home runs with a .783 OPS in 2015. He struggled at the plate over his final three seasons, but his leadership helped keep him in the majors until 2022 when he ended his career with a storybook home run in his final game.
That was the end of Vogt as a player, but it was far from the end of his baseball career. He rapidly earned his first managerial gig and could stick around for quite a while with a loyal Guardians franchise after an impressive first season.
