Play-by-play Broadcaster for the Los Angeles Angels

Matt Vasgersian | Biography

Play-by-play broadcaster for the Los Angeles Angels and the studio host for MLB Network

• By Priya
• Original : October 07, 2021

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Matt Vasgersian is the play-by-play announcer and sportscaster for MLB and Los Angeles Angels.

Who is Matt Vasgersian?

Matt Vasgersian is a sportscaster, studio host, and Major League Baseball play-by-play announcer. He is the play-by-play broadcaster for the Los Angeles Angels and the studio host for MLB Network. He is also a former member of ESPN's broadcasting team of Major League Baseball. In October 2021, Vasgersian announced that he would be leaving ESPN Sunday Night Broadcast.

"I decided to call it a wrap on Sunday Night Baseball," Vasgersian shared to Marchand. "I can't do everything I enjoy with MLB Network and the Angels while still being away for nearly 30 weekends a year."

Vasgersian had become the new play-by-play voice for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball on 23 January 2018, succeeding Dan Shulman. He collaborated with the former New York Yankees player Alex Rodriguez while proceeding with his job at MLB Network.

Vasgersian is also regularly seen covering feature programming and special events for MLB Network. In addition, he frequently shows up on shows such as MLB Tonight, Thursday Night Baseball, Quick Pitch, and Hot Stove. 

Furthermore, Vasgersian has covered NBC Sports' coverage of the Olympic Games and XFL, a short-lived professional American football league. 

In the past, Matt has also filled in as a commentator for Fox Sports' National Football League and Major League Baseball broadcasting and as the play-by-play announcer for the Milwaukee Brewers and the San Diego Padres.

Early Life and Education

Matthew (Matt) Edward Vasgersian was born on 28 September 1967 in Oakland, California, and raised in Moraga, California.

Before getting into baseball, Vasgersian started as a child actor. Just at the age of seven, he was a member of the Screen Actors Guild. He's also appeared on Supermarket Sweep as a contestant as well as The New Dating Game​​.

Matt graduated from Campolindo High School in Moraga and the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. 

Acting

Before entering the baseball universe or broadcasting, Matt Vasgersian started as a child actor. He appeared in the 1972 political comedy/drama The Candidate starring Rober Redford. Vasgersian also appeared in an episode of the 1972 television crime drama The Streets of San Francisco. 

Baseball Broadcasting

Matt Vasgersian began his career in baseball industry in 1991. He initially started as a play-by-play announcer in the Minor Leagues. 

He started sportscasting on the radio covering the Chicago Cubs Rookie league members in Huntington, West Virginia, on radio station WKEE-AM 800. Matt then covered the High Desert Mavericks team on radio broadcast KAPL. He eventually moved up the ladder in the minor league, taking diverse roles for the teams such as Syracuse Chiefs (1995) and the AAA Tucson Toros (1996).

In 1997 when he was just 29, Vasgersian joined the Milwaukee Brewers as its play-by-play announcer and stayed until 2001. Then, from 2002 to 2008, he worked for the San Diego Padres.

Furthermore, after seven seasons at the San Diego Padres, Vasgersian joined the MLB Network in 2009 as its first studio host.

FOX Sports

In earlier years, Vasgersian had done a few chosen games for FOX Sports. However, in 2006, he officially joined the company.

From 2006 to 2008, Vasgersian teamed up with J.C. Pearson on Fox's NFL telecasts on its #6 broadcast team. 

He also worked on Fox MLB telecasts of the Game of the Week in 2007. By 2012, Matt started hosting MLB pregame shows. In 2014, Vasgersian joined John Smoltz to work on postseason telecasts during the Divison Series.

MLB Network

Vasgersian joined the MLB Network on 1 January 2009, since its debut. He appeared consistently in-studio and on location at the All-Star Game and World Series on the network's Emmy Award-winning live nightly studio show MLB Tonight.

In addition, he's also a regular in shows such as The Rundown, Quick Pitch, 30 Clubs In 30 Days, and Hot Stove. He was also the host of Baseball IQ, which is MLB Network's first-ever game show.

Vasgersian calls play-by-play for MLB Network's Thursday Night Baseball through the MLB regular season. However, from 2012 to 2014, he did not host any programming on MLB Network during the All-star Game since he was hosting Fox's MLB pregame.

In April 2015, Vasgersian joined Mark DeRosa and Lauren Shehadi as a co-host on the show MLB Central. Robert Flores later replaced him. 

In the same year, Matt also did commentary for the 2015 All-Star Game.

Los Angeles Angels

In March 2021, Vasgersian succeeded Victor Rojas to become the new play-by-play voice for the Los Angeles Angels' broadcasts on Bally Sports West. He, however, still worked for ESPN and MLB Network. 

Hosting 

In addition to baseball broadcasting, Vasgersian has hosted plenty of other sports as well as TV shows. While he gained popularity for doing play-by-play announcements, he's also hosted game shows such as Sports Geniuses, Celebrity Blackjack, and the National Heads-Up Poker Championship. 

Vasgersian has also filled in for Mike Goldberg to host an Ultimate Fighting Championship. He's also a regular commentator of MLB: The Show since 2006 and the WKLH 96.5 FM's show Dave & Carole Morning Show.

Young Vasgersian also appeared as a challenger in episode 91 of Supermarket Sweep, a game show where two teams participate, answering a series of questions to add as much time as possible to collect their prize. He and his accomplice won the Big Sweep, however, not the $5,000 thousand grand prize.

Wife

Matt Vasgersian is married to Kimberly Craig for eight years. The two tied their knots on 20 July 2013 in a private event. The couple got married at the Viansa Sonoma Winery & Tasting Room. 

Did You Know?

During his play-by-play commentary, Vasgersian often cites "Santa Maria" during exciting moments in baseball. He got this habit from an old family friend.