The team’s signings often bring surprises, though not typically the favorable kind we hope for. In this instance, the Blue Jays have added Daniel Vogelbach to their roster on a minor-league deal, with the potential for a $2 million payout should he secure a spot in the major league squad.
Vogelbach, aged 31, bats from the left side and boasts eight seasons of MLB experience, including a brief stint with the Jays in 2020 where he had 5 plate appearances before being waived and picked up by the Brewers.
Across his career spanning 571 games, Vogelbach has posted a batting line of .220/.342/.410 with 80 home runs. Last season, he played 104 games for the Mets, registering a .233/.339/.404 slash line along with 13 home runs, amounting to a 0.2 bWAR.
He serves as a backup option. Given his limited defensive versatility, Vogelbach would require either Justin Turner or Vlad to be sidelined for him to earn playing minutes with the Jays. Nevertheless, he possesses a keen eye for walks and has the ability to drive the ball deep if he connects solidly. It’s good to have you back, Daniel.
Ricky Tiedemann pitched batting practice today and hit 96 mph. Typically, I’m not in favor of players exerting maximum effort during initial sessions, but they claim he’s in good form and effortlessly reaches that speed.
He mentions that the team hasn’t set a specific limit on the number of innings he’ll be restricted to this year, especially after only pitching 62 innings last year.