MILWAUKEE -- Former slugger Daniel Vogelbach is coming back to the Brewers as one of two new hitting coaches, part of a major reorganization of manager Pat Murphy’s staff for 2026.
The moves include promotions for Jim Henderson (from assistant pitching coach to "pitching coordinator") and Jason Lane (from third-base coach to “offense and strategy coordinator”). Also getting a promotion is Eric Theisen, who joined the Major League staff last season as a hitting coach but now will be “lead hitting coach,” heading a three-man crew that includes newcomers Guillermo Martinez and Vogelbach.
Brewers fans will remember Vogelbach from his stint with Milwaukee from 2020-21, including his dramatic walk-off grand slam against the Cardinals on Sept. 5, 2021, as the team was closing in on a division title. His and Martinez’s arrivals come after hitting coach Connor Dawson left the Brewers for a job with the Royals, and after longtime Brewers instructor Al LeBoeuf was not renewed as lead hitting coach following one season in that role. LeBoeuf is moving to a different, unspecified role in the organization.
Milwaukee’s offense was much-improved last season, ranking third in runs scored and second in on-base percentage with MLB’s second-lowest swing rate outside the strike zone. The Brewers will seek to build on that with most of their regular position players set to return in 2026.
“The opportunity here to zoom out, even though we won 97 games, is something that’s really important to us,” president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said.
Vogelbach, who turned 33 on Dec. 17, began his coaching career last season as a special assistant for hitting with the Pirates.
“He’s a guy that has worn a lot of hats in the big leagues,” Arnold said. “He’s been a great big league hitter, he’s coming off the bench and prepared, and he just knows how to get ready in all kinds of different roles.”
Martinez, 41, was the hitting coach for Double-A Knoxville in the Cubs’ system last season and has been a hitting instructor for the Cubs and Blue Jays since 2012, including a stint in the Major Leagues with Toronto from ’19-24.
Their arrivals were among a slew of other moves heading into Murphy’s third season as manager:
• Wisconsin native Matt Erickson is taking Lane’s spot as third-base coach and will continue to lead the Brewers’ infield instruction and positioning. Erickson is going into his third season on the Major League staff.
• Spencer Allen has been promoted to first-base coach and baserunning instructor in place of Julio Borbon, who, like LeBoeuf, is being reassigned to another role in the organization. Allen, 48, was the head baseball coach at Northwestern University from 2016-21 before joining Milwaukee’s Minor League staff, rising to director of player development for the past two seasons.
• With Henderson’s promotion to a broader game-planning role, Juan Sandoval is joining the Major League staff as assistant pitching coach. Sandoval, who turns 45 on Jan. 12, pitched for the Brewers in the Minor Leagues from 2008-09 and has been coaching in Milwaukee’s system since 2022.
• Daniel de Mondesert is shifting from assistant coach to “game preparation specialist.”
• Christian Correa is returning as bullpen catcher, with newcomer Ty Duvall joining him.
• Pitching coach Chris Hook (going into his eighth season on the MLB staff), field coordinator Néstor Corredor (fourth season) and bullpen coach Charlie Greene (third season) are all returning in the same roles.
Notably, the Brewers will be the rare team without a bench coach in 2026, after associate manager Rickie Weeks was shifted back to the front office in November. Those duties will be spread to other coaches, including Henderson.
“‘Hooky’ is obviously the lead pitching coach and has just done a wonderful job for us for so many years and has been a rock in our franchise,” Arnold said. “Jim and Hook had partnered forever, and for Jim, this is a chance to continue to grow and be more involved with game preparation with Murph on a day to day basis.
“That’s a big part of this, to continue to expand where [Henderson] can help, not just with the pitching but in decision-making with Murph. The two of them working together in concert is something we’re extremely excited about.”