Many STAA members are returning to baseball broadcast booths this summer – most of whom didn’t have opportunities to call games last year.
We’ve recently published stories about Evan Stockton and Justin Gallanty assuming broadcast duties with the Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis, AAA), Nick Badders taking over for the NW Arkansas Naturals (Kansas City, AA), and Kyle Kercheval joining the Quad Cities River Bandits (Kansas City, A).
Here are some additional STAA members who will find themselves in new baseball booths this season. They are listed alphabetically by last name. (Sorry Ryan Zimmerman).
Kevin DiDomenico (Salem Red Sox No. 1)
DeDomenico just finished his junior year at Virginia Tech where he studies under sportscaster/instructor Bill Roth. The university will be providing broadcasters to Salem (Boston Red Sox Low-A) for the foreseeable future. DeDomenico spent 2019 with the Pulaski Yankees, the advanced rookie league affiliate of the New York Yankees.
Dana Grey (Brooklyn Cyclones No. 2)
Grey joins Keith Raad on Cyclones broadcasts. Grey earned Honorable Mention honors as a senior at Syracuse in STAA’s 2019 All-America program.
“There’s so much to be excited about this season for baseball in Brooklyn,” Grey says excitedly. “It’s the inaugural campaign for the Cyclones (New York Mets High-A affiliate) at the full season High-A level and the team was just ranked in the top-5 of MLB.com’s ‘Most Loaded MILB Rosters.’
He adds, “The stadium sits just a few miles south from Citi Field, putting the Cyclones right in the thick of the Mets organization and their fans. I truly can’t think of a better ballpark experience than that in Brooklyn with the boardwalk, amusement park and ocean all within feet of home plate.”
Rob Marcello (Purceville Cannons No. 2)
The Cannons are members of the Virginia-based collegiate Valley Baseball League. Marcello is a 2019 graduate of Dean College where he was a student of veteran sportscaster and accomplished instructor John Rooke. Marcello’s baseball play-by-play experience includes summers with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks and the Brockton Rox.
Brandon Ross (Gateway Grizzlies No. 2)
Brandon will share the Grizzlies booth with former Jim Nantz Award winner Nate Gatter. Ross himself was an honorable mention candidate for the award in 2020, his senior year at Syracuse. He spent Summer 2019 with the Burlington Royals.
Ross is also an accomplished broadcaster of collegiate Olympic sports on ESPN+ and ESPN3.
“[There is] definitely a long history of strong broadcasters going through Gateway and the fact that I still get to work with, and learn from, Nate is a huge plus,” Ross grins.
Geoff Safford (Missoula PaddleHeads No. 1)
Safford moves to pro ball after having previously called independent league games in California. He’s spent the past two years outside of baseball, broadcasting instead for a radio station in Havre, Montana.
The PaddleHeads are members of the Pioneer League. The league is not affiliated with Major League Baseball but is an MLB Partner League. Safford will start out calling home games only. “I may be asked to hit the road more as the season progresses,” he says. “They are taking a cautious approach like many teams in minor league baseball due to the pandemic and other factors. I am very excited as I feel this is a huge opportunity in my career.”
James Stanley (Wilson Tobs No. 1)
Stanley is the Tobs’ Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting in the highly regarded Coastal Plain League. He graduated last year from the University of Missouri. Stanley is a native of the greater Kansas City, KS area.
Sam Weiderhaft (Myrtle Beach Pelicans No.1)
Weiderhaft initially planned on spending this summer in Nebraska in the college baseball Expedition League. He called an audible when the Pelicans (Chicago Cubs, Low-A) offered him their top spot. Weiderhaft is also handling media relations for the team. He is a 2020 graduate of Butler University and a play-by-play voice at Coastal Carolina University.
Ryan Zimmerman (Gary SouthShore RailCats No. 2)
Zimmerman is a 2020 graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. He broadcasted Golden Bears baseball, among other sports. Zimmerman was scheduled to call games last summer for Cotuit of the Cape Cod League before Covid canceled their season. He ended up broadcasting in the Midwest Collegiate League.
We know there are several STAA members that have unintentionally been omitted from this list. If you are among them, let us know by emailing Jon Chelesnik at jon@staatalent.com.
Congratulations to all.
Dana Grey sums up the summer perfectly when he says, “I think we could all use a little baseball back in our lives.”