[1] Born in Olympia, Washington, where he graduated from Capital High School, Sandberg had a 12-year pro playing career (1996–2007), and prior to joining the Mariners, he had spent 20 years in the Tampa Bay Rays' organization.

He spent ten years as a manager in the Rays' farm system, including 2015 through 2018 as the pilot of the Triple-A Durham Bulls, their top affiliate, where he won consecutive International League Governors' Cup championships in 2017–18.

He retired after the 2007 season and took a job as the hitting coach for the Single-A Hudson Valley Renegades in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.

[4] On July 29, 2016, Sandberg was named the manager of the Arizona Fall League's Peoria Javelinas for the 2016 season.

On Wednesday November 21, 2018, the Seattle Mariners announced Sandberg had been hired to serve as their Major League field coordinator for the 2019 season.