When you visit a minor league or summer collegiate ballpark this summer, there’s a good chance an STAA member will be broadcasting the game.
In addition to the 18 members we wrote about in April who will be with new teams this summer, at least ten more will also be taking the microphone for new clubs.
Here is a partial list.
John Vicari, Lake County Captains No. 1 (High-A, Cleveland Guardians)
Vicari moves into affiliated baseball after spending last summer as the Director of Media Relations and Radio Broadcaster for the Wisconsin Rapid Rafters of the Northwoods League. The 2022 Ithaca grad started in baseball in 2019 as an intern for the Albany Dutchmen of the PGCBL.
Brennan Mense, Billings Mustangs No. 1 (Pioneer League, independent)
Mense brings solid experience to Billings. His resume includes broadcasting assistant positions with the Gary SouthShore RailCats and Bowling Green Hot Rods.
Mense is a graduate of Kansas State.
Tanner Hoops, Sioux Falls Canaries No. 1 (American Association, independent)
Hoops started his broadcasting career at ESPN UP in Marquette, MI. From there it was onto the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL.
Hoops is also the University of Minnesota volleyball play-by-play voice and football halftime show host on Learfield and KFAN. “As of now this job and the powers at be will allow me to continue my work with the University of Minnesota football and volleyball teams in the fall, which I’m very excited about,” he smiles.
Matthew Will, Evansville Otters No. 1 (Frontier League, independent)
Will is a Wichita, KS native finishing his senior year at the University of Southern Indiana.
He was the media coordinator for the NBC World Series in Wichita in 2019 and social media manager in 2020.
Justin Velazquez, Rochester Honkers No. 1 (Northwoods League, collegiate)
Velazquez is one of, if not the first, graduate of the Dan Patrick School to land a job in summer collegiate or professional baseball play-by-play. He graduated from Patrick’s program last year.
“I couldn’t have done it without [STAA], Velazquez enthuses. Thanks so much for all of the help and resources you provide!”
Joey Miller, Casper Horseheads No. 1 (Independence League, collegiate)
Miller is a 2021 graduate of the University of Missouri. His broadcasting career started at an early age, making occasional guest appearances on his grandmother’s talk show on 630 KHOW in Denver.
Rich Ray, Fremont Moo No. 1 (Independence League, collegiate)
Ray has worked as a radio sports director in Nebraska for 25 years and is respected throughout the state. The Moo is based in Fremont, NE.
Gareth Kwok, Frederick Keys No. 2 (MLB Draft League, collegiate)
Kwok graduates this month from Arizona State University and has considerable experience broadcasting ASU baseball. He is one of the lead TV and radio voices for Arizona State athletics on Pac-12 Network Digital and KASC Blaze Radio.
Kwok won “Best Baseball/Softball Play-by-Play” awards from the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) this year and last. He is an equally talented TV sports anchor/reporter.
Spencer Boehme, Des Moines Peak Prospects No. 1 (MINK League, collegiate)
Boehme is a former voice of basketball, baseball, and softball at Henderson State in Arkansas.
“Cold contacting has gotten me all four of my post-college broadcast opportunities to date,” he says.
Boehme is a graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN.
Derek Decker, Chillicothe Mudcats No. 1 (MINK League, collegiate)
Decker is graduating this month from Indiana University. He was the nation’s 17th most outstanding collegiate sportscaster in STAA’s 2021 Jim Nantz Award and All-America program.
Decker’s experience as a youth league and high school umpire lends a unique perspective to his broadcasts.
Many other STAA members are returning to teams for whom they have already been working.
Best wishes to everyone for a great season!