Pirates and AHN announce changes to Pirates medical team
The Pittsburgh Pirates, in partnership with Allegheny Health Network, announced today that the Club has made changes to the medical team supporting the Pirates organization. The medical team, under the continued guidance of Dr. Patrick DeMeo, will now be led by Dr. Todd Franco with the support of Dr. Darren A. Frank and Dr. Ravi Ved and will utilize AHN’s vast network of doctors and medical professionals to deliver the best medical care for Pirates players, coaches and staff.
Dr. Todd Franco – Dr. Franco, who has spent the last 14 years as a Pirates team physician, will serve as the team’s Director of Physiatry and will be the principal doctor overseeing the medical care of all Pirates players, coaches and staff. Dr. Franco is a board-certified sports medicine specialist and physiatrist with the Allegheny Health Network department of orthopedic surgery division of sports medicine. In addition to the Pirates, he has served numerous professional and semi-professional organizations, area high schools, colleges and universities.
Dr. Darren A. Frank – Dr. Frank will now serve in the role of Director of Orthopaedics for the Pirates. He is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon who has served as an assistant team physician for the Pirates for the past 15 years, being promoted to and working as Head Orthopaedic Surgeon for the team since 2012. Dr. Frank has been part of the Orthopaedic Institute, Division of Sports Medicine, at the Allegheny Health Network, where he has served as Associate Director of the Division of Sports Medicine since 2012.
Dr. Ravi Ved – Dr. Ved will now serve as the Pirates Director of Internal Medicine. Dr. Ved is a primary care sports medicine physician, who also serves as Associate Program Director of Primary Sports Medicine Fellowships at Allegheny Health Network. Dr. Ved has extensive experience working with athletes of all sports and all levels, from the high school level to professional and Olympic athletes. He has worked with USA Ultimate, USA Rugby, and the United States Olympic Committee.
Dr. Patrick DeMeo, who has served as the team’s Medical Director since the 2002 season, will continue to provide overall leadership and guidance to the team of doctors responsible for the day-to-day care for the Pirates. Long-time team physician, Dr. Edward Snell, is stepping away from his direct role with the Pirates to take on the elevated position of Medical Director of AHN Sports Performance.
“First and foremost, on behalf of the Pirates organization and the countless number of players and personnel whom he has cared for over the past two decades, I want to thank Dr. Snell for his dedication and service to the organization. We wish all the best to him in his new role within AHN,” said Pirates Chairman, Bob Nutting. “We are excited for the strong expanded medical team that Dr. DeMeo has assembled and that Dr. Franco will lead. It is reassuring for the organization and our players that we have such an amazing network of medical professionals at AHN to lean on for all of the team’s medical needs.”
“As the official medical provider of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Allegheny Health Network is committed to providing top-notch medical care to help assure those within the Pirates organization can excel at their highest performance level,” shared Dr. DeMeo. “Our leading sports medicine team is prepared to deliver year-round care to the players, coaches and staff. We are honored to be able to provide ongoing support to the Pirates through this great partnership.”
The newly appointed medical team at AHN will partner with the Pirates internal medical staff, which continues to be led at the Major League level by Todd Tomczyk, Pirates Director of Sports Medicine, A.J. Patrick, Pirates Director of Sports Performance, Rafael Freitas, Head Athletic Trainer, Tony Leo, Assistant Athletic Trainer, and Seth Steinhauer, Pirates Physical Therapist.
AHN’s Orthopaedic Institute is one of the largest and most comprehensive orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine programs in the state of Pennsylvania. Its more than 70 affiliated orthopaedic surgeons and sports medicine specialists provide access to a full spectrum of care for musculoskeletal injuries and diseases, including advanced, minimally-invasive surgical approaches that help patients recover faster and with less pain. The Institute’s comprehensive sports performance program provides individualized strength training, physical therapy, sports medicine, sports nutrition, and advanced recovery for developing youths, performing athletes and active adults.
The 2022 Major League Baseball season marks the 24th year in which the physicians of AHN’s Orthopaedic Institute are overseeing the comprehensive sports medicine and other health needs of the Pirates players and staff. AHN’s role as the team’s official medical provider runs through 2025.