After Daniel Vogelbach spent the offseason in Fort Myers, Fla., with his older brother who’s a strength and conditioning specialist who owns a gym, he felt prepared for the big leagues.
At one point, members of the Mariners’ staff came down to Florida, and they were impressed, Vogelbach’s brother, Josh, said. The 250-pound first baseman, who had played mostly in the minors since 2011, was improving.
“I truly thought he was ready,” Josh Vogelbach said. “I still think he is.”
Vogelbach played eight games with the Mariners at the end of the 2016 season, and a long-term role seemed imminent.