SportsNet Pittsburgh Announces Broadcast Team For 2024 Pirates Season

PITTSBURGH (February 20, 2024) – SportsNet Pittsburgh (SNP) on Tuesday announced the broadcast booth and studio talent for the 2024 Pittsburgh Pirates season. SNP’s coverage of the upcoming season will include extensive game coverage plus hour-long pregame and postgame shows. Fans will be able to stream games live by downloading the SportsNet Pittsburgh app on their mobile device and authenticating with their TV provider.

The broadcast booth will feature Greg Brown and Joe Block sharing play-by-play duties. Color analysts in the booth will include returning personalities and Pirates alumni Bob Walk, John Wehner, Kevin Young, Matt Capps and Neil Walker. Newcomer and Pittsburgh native, Hannah Mears, will serve as sideline reporter.

The studio team will feature Rob King as the studio host for the majority of games. Analysts in the studio will include Pirates alumni Michael McKenry, Steven Brault, Jordy Mercer and Alex Presley. Young, Capps and Walker will also have appearances in the studio throughout the season in addition to being in the booth. Dan Potash and Hailey Hunter will share various hosting and sideline responsibilities throughout the Pirates season as well.

SportsNet Pittsburgh’s coverage of the 2024 Pirates season will begin with spring training on Feb. 25, as the Pirates host the Baltimore Orioles at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.

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SportsNet Pittsburgh Set To Remain Official Home Of Pittsburgh Pirates

by NESN Staff 1 Min Read

GREG BROWN (@gbrowniepoints) is in his 31st year as a radio and television play-by-play announcer with the Pirates. Greg’s association with the Pirates began in 1979 when he interned in the promotions department while attending Point Park University. Following the World Series that year, Brown worked as the clubhouse manager at Pirate City during the Instructional League program in Bradenton, Fla. His 10-year stint in the Bucs front office included work in the marketing, public relations and broadcasting departments. Greg also served as the team’s public address announcer during the 1987 campaign. In 1988, he was a sports anchor on WFMJ-TV in Youngstown, OH. Prior to joining Pittsburgh’s broadcast team in 1994, Brown spent five seasons (1989-1993) doing play-by-play and color commentary for the Buffalo Bisons of the American Association (now International League) as well as hosting a sports talk show on WGR Radio. He also worked as a color analyst and a pre and postgame show host for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League for five seasons (1989-93). Brown’s dedication and passion for the Pirates extends to his efforts away from the broadcast booth as he makes numerous off-season appearances in the community, both in the Pittsburgh area and in Bradenton during spring training. Brown is a native of Washington, D.C. He currently resides in Renfrew, PA, with his wife, Kim, and their son.

JOE BLOCK (@joe_block) is in his ninth season of calling Pirates play-by-play action, having joined the TV and radio broadcast teams in 2016. Though having grown up in and outside Detroit, Block considers making his home in Pittsburgh “a dream,” as his grandparents and great-grandparents originally settled in the region, in Wheeling, WV and Byesville, OH. As a teenager, Block traveled to Pittsburgh on spring break to take in Penguins games at the Igloo. Block has called baseball games for 20 seasons, previously with the Milwaukee Brewers and in the minor leagues in Billings, MT, Great Falls, MT, Jacksonville, FL, St. Paul, MN, and Charleston, SC. He also broadcast for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New Orleans Hornets, Montreal Expos and for various regional TV networks since graduating from Michigan State in 1999. He and his wife, Bethany, are actively involved in community and charitable endeavors around Pittsburgh and in the South Hills area. They currently reside in Bethel Park with their three children.

BOB WALK is in his 31st season as a member of the Pirates broadcast crew. He joins Greg Brown as being one of only five men with at least 20 years of service behind the microphone for the Bucs on radio. The former right-handed pitcher spent 10 of his 14 years pitching in the Major Leagues with Pittsburgh (1984-1993). He compiled a 105-81 lifetime record, which included an 82-61 mark with the Pirates. Walk’s professional career began with Spartanburg in 1977 after he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 3rd round of the 1976 June draft. He made his big league debut with the Phillies in 1980 and was the starting pitcher in Game One of the World
Series that October against Kansas City. In the spring of 1981, Walk was dealt to the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Gary Matthews. He spent three seasons in the Atlanta organization before being acquired by Pittsburgh in 1984. Bob was a 1988 National League All-Star and he posted six straight winning seasons from 1987 to 1992. One of his finest moments in a Pirates uniform
came in 1992 when he pitched a 7-1, complete-game victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. Walk, a native of Newhall, CA, resides in Wexford with his wife, Lorrie. They have three sons and four grandchildren.

JOHN WEHNER, a Pittsburgh native, is in his 20th season as a member of the Pirates broadcast team. He joined the crew prior to the 2005 season and serves as an analyst on both radio and TV. Entering the 2024 campaign, John has spent a total of 33 seasons in the Pittsburgh organization (1988-1996, 1999-2001 and 2003-2021). Prior to being named to the broadcast team, John spent time as a coach with the Double-A Altoona Curve (2003- 2004) after serving the Pirates as a special instructor during spring training in 2002. John saw his last action in the major leagues with the Pirates in 2001. He hit the last home run in the history of Three Rivers Stadium on October 1, 2000, off Chicago’s Jon Lieber and also made the final out. In 11 seasons in the major leagues, John compiled a .249 batting average, hit four home runs and collected 54 RBIs in 461 games. In addition, he shares the major league record of playing 99 consecutive errorless games at third base (also Jeff Cirillo). Wehner is a graduate of Pittsburgh’s Carrick High School and attended Indiana University, where he played baseball for three years. He resides in Cranberry Township, PA, with his wife Brandie and five children.

KEVIN YOUNG is in his third year as a rotating color analyst on both the radio and TV broadcasts for the Pirates. Originally selected in the seventh round of the 1990 First Year Player Draft, Young spent 11 big league seasons playing for the Pirates. After being named Pittsburgh’s Minor League Player of the Year in 1991, K.Y. made his major league debut on June 12, 1992 and singled off Cincinnati’s Tim Belcher in his second at bat. In his 11 seasons with the Pirates (1992-95 and 1997-2003), Young played a total of 1,022 games at first base and ranks third on the club’s all-time list for games played at that position, trailing only Gus Suhr (1339) and Jake Beckley (1045). Young finished his career with a .258 average, 235 doubles, 144 home runs and 606 RBI in 1,205 games. He is also one of only two players in team history (also
Jason Bay in 2005) to produce at least 100 runs, 40 doubles, 20 home runs, 100 RBI and 20 stolen bases in one season (1999). Kevin resides in Scottsdale, AZ, and has two kids. A graduate of Washington (KS) High School, Young attended Kansas City (KS) Community College for two years where he was an All-American and recipient of the Rawlings Big Bat Award in the Midwest region. He was also an All-American at the University of Southern Mississippi for one year before being drafted by the Pirates.

MATT CAPPS (@MattCapps55) is in his fourth season as a rotating color analyst on both the radio and television broadcasts for the Pirates. He spent two years (2018-19) serving as a pre and postgame studio host on AT&T SportsNet. Capps, who pitched for the Pirates for five seasons between 2005 and 2009, currently ranks seventh on the club’s all time saves list with 67. Originally selected by Pittsburgh in the seventh round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Capps made his major league debut Sept. 16, 2005, in Game 1 of a doubleheader vs. Cincinnati. Capps appeared in a career-high 85 games with the Pirates in 2006; still a club rookie record for most appearances in a season. He also won a career-high nine games in 2006, notching his first big league victory on May 12 vs. Florida. Following his final season with the Pirates in 2009, Matt split the 2010 campaign between Washington and Minnesota, saving a career-high 42 games between the two teams. Capps spent two more seasons with the Twins, pitching in his final big league game on Sept. 24, 2012. In 444 career games in the Major Leagues, Matt produced a 29-33 record, 138 saves and a 3.52 ERA (439.2ip/172er). A native of Douglasville, GA, Capps currently resides in Roswell, GA, with his wife, Jennifer, and two kids.

NEIL WALKER (@NeilWalker18) is in his third full season as a member of the Pirates broadcast team. He officially joined the crew in August of 2021 and worked a handful of games toward the end of the season. Originally selected by the Pirates in the first round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft (11th pick overall), Walker made his Major League debut on 9/1/09. He collected his first big league hit off St. Louis’ Jason Motte on 9/6/09 and hit his first Major League home run on 6/1/10 off Chicago’s Ted Lilly. Walker played 12 seasons in the Majors with the Pirates (2009-2015), Mets (2016-17), Brewers (2017), Yankees (2018), Marlins (2019) and Phillies (2020). In 1,306 career games, he produced a .267 batting average, 238 doubles, 22 triples, 149 home runs and 609 RBI. Walker was converted from a catcher to a third baseman prior to his fourth professional season in 2007 before settling in at second base in In his Major League career, Neil made 1,050 appearances at second base, 131 at first base, 72 at third base, 15 in right field and two in left field. In Pirates history, Walker ranks fifth in career games played at second base (802) and his 93 home runs in a Bucco uniform rank second behind Bobby Bonilla (114) for most home runs hit by a switch hitter. The son of former big league pitcher Tom Walker (1972- 77), Neil grew up outside of Pittsburgh and graduated from Pine-Richland High School in 2004. His No. 24 was retired from Pine-Richland on 7/22/10. Neil and his wife, Niki, reside in Gibsonia, PA, and have two children.

HANNAH MEARS (@mearshannah_) joins SportsNet Pittsburgh as the sideline reporter for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Prior to coming to SNP, Mears was a sideline reporter for the Big Ten Network covering college athletics, and has spent several years as an on-air talent and sports producer for a local CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh, worked freelance for the Penguins, Steelers and Pirates, and served as a sports betting host and analyst for Picks & Parlays. Mears is a graduate of Penn State and grew up in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

ROB KING (@robkinger91) will be returning to the Pittsburgh Pirates broadcast team as the studio host for pre and postgame coverage on SportsNet Pittsburgh. The Emmy award winner has spent the last 23 seasons covering Pirates baseball as a host and as a producer of specialty programming. Before moving to Pittsburgh in 2000, King spent five years in Syracuse, NY where he was sports director at CBS affiliate WTVH-TV and hosted a radio show on WHENAM. He also spent more than two years as a reporter at KPLR-TV and hosted a radio show in St. Louis.

MICHAEL MCKENRY (@theFortMcKenry) first joined the Pittsburgh Pirates broadcast team in 2018 and will be returning this year as a studio analyst for Pirates games on SportsNet Pittsburgh. McKenry spent seven years in MLB as a catcher, including three years with the Pirates. He was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the seventh round of the 2006 MLB Draft and was rated the No. 9 prospect in the Rockies organization in 2009. McKenry played college baseball at Middle Tennessee State University, where he garnered All-American honors and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He later joined MTSU as the Director of Player Development, following his retirement from the major leagues in 2018. McKenry grew up in Knoxville and currently resides in Pittsburgh with his wife, Jaclyn.

STEVEN BRAULT (@SquidBrault) will be joining the SportsNet Pittsburgh broadcast team as a studio analyst for Pirates pre and postgame shows. Brault was a pitcher in the major leagues for seven years, primarily with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was originally selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 11th round of the 2013 MLB Draft and was later traded to the Pirates in 2015.
Brault currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.

JORDY MERCER (@jordy_mercer) joins the SportsNet Pittsburgh team as a studio analyst for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Mercer spent 10 seasons as a shortstop in the MLB, including seven seasons with the Pirates. He was drafted by the Pirates in the 3rd round of the 2008 MLB draft. Mercer was born in Oklahoma and played college baseball at Oklahoma State University. Following his sophomore year at Oklahoma State, he played for the U.S. national baseball team in 2007, competing internationally in the 2007 Pan American Games and 2007 World Port Tournament, winning silver in both. He also competed for the U.S. in the 2011 Pan American Games, winning
silver, and the 2011 Baseball World Cup.

ALEX PRESLEY will be joining SportsNet Pittsburgh as a studio analyst for select games throughout the Pittsburgh Pirates season. Presley played professional baseball for 12 years, including four years with the Pirates as an outfielder. He attended the University of Mississippi and played collegiate summer baseball for the Chatham A’s of the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Presley was selected by the Pirates in the eighth round of the 2006 MLB Draft and made his major league debut in 2010. Presley is a native of Louisiana.

DAN POTASH (@DanPotashTV) currently serves as the lead studio host for Penguins telecasts on SportsNet Pittsburgh and will share various hosting and sideline responsibilities for the Pirates this season. Potash joined the Pittsburgh Penguins telecasts as the rinkside reporter in 2005, coinciding with the arrival of Penguins star Sidney Crosby. He also served as a reporter
for Pittsburgh Pirates telecasts and weekend host for Pittsburgh Pirates pre and postgame shows with AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. He worked for three years as a weekend sports anchor/reporter for a local ABC affiliate in Charleston, SC before his move to Pittsburgh, and additionally served as a weekend anchor/reporter, then sports director, at the CBS affiliate in
Bridgeport, West Virginia. He is originally from Southern California.

HAILEY HUNTER (@TheHaileyHunter) is currently a part of the SportsNet Pittsburgh broadcast team as the rinkside reporter for the Penguins, and will be serving in various hosting and sideline responsibilities for the Pirates 2024 season. Most recently, Hunter covered golf for NBC Sports’ Golf Channel and PGA Tour Entertainment, in addition to serving as a reporter for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Prior to that, she served as the team reporter and host for the New York Islanders during the 2021-22 season. She also spent time working for a local CBS affiliate in Jackson, MS as a sports reporter and weekend anchor where she primarily covered the SEC and University of Mississippi athletics. Hunter played golf professionally for one season after
graduating from Ohio University, where she was captain of the golf team. She grew up in Muskegon, Michigan due to her father’s professional hockey career playing for the Muskegon Lumberjacks, among other farm teams. Her father, Tim Hrynewich, also played 55 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1982 and 1984.