St. Louis Cardinals Broadcasters

Radio

John Rooney

John Rooney is in his 19th season of broadcasting Cardinals games, and 2024 will be his 53rd year in broadcasting. A Richmond, Mo. native, Rooney came to St. Louis from the Chicago White Sox where he spent 18 years (1988-2005) - one in TV followed by 17 seasons in the radio booth. The Cardinals World Championship crown in 2006 gave John the privilege of working with the World Champion team in back-to-back seasons, following the White Sox win in 2005.

Rooney was inducted into the Missouri Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2021, and he was named the 2021 Missouri Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. It's the second time he's won an award of such prestige from NSMA, as he previously won the Illinois sportscaster of the year award in 2005.
Rooney called his first major league game in 1983 with Mike Shannon and Hall of Fame Broadcaster Jack Buck during a three-game series between the Cardinals and host Cincinnati Reds. He began his baseball broadcasting career at the class AAA level, spending the 1981-82 seasons with the Oklahoma City 89ers and the 1983-84 campaigns with the Louisville Redbirds.

John juggled two stints in the 1980's as a sports reporter for KMOX around his baseball broadcasting and serving as the voice of Missouri Tigers football and basketball on radio and TV for 20 seasons. Rooney's National Assignments over the years include the MLB Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series, Saturday Afternoon and Sunday Night Baseball for CBS Radio, the Fox TV Saturday Baseball Game of The Week and ESPN Radio Saturday and Sunday night baseball assignments. Rooney has worked 20 MLB All Star Games on National Radio, called NFL games on CBS and Sports USA Radio and has broadcast 19 NCAA Tournaments on the National Radio Network, including 10 National Championship Games.

Over the years Rooney has been an announcer on various college basketball telecasts including the Big 10, Conference USA, Big East and has been the Voice of the Missouri Valley Conference telecasts. He has broadcast College Football Bowl Games including the Cotton, Orange, Fiesta, Sun, Independence and Capital One Bowls.

Rooney was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in February 2004 and received the 2018 Tom Hammond National Sports Media Award presented by the Kentucky Bluegrass Sports Commission. He and his wife, Susan, have two daughters: Colleen and Rachel.

Rick Horton

Ricky Horton will continue his work as a broadcaster for Cardinals Baseball for a 28th season and his third in the radio booth full time in 2024. He has provided play-by-play and color commentary on Bally Sports Midwest telecasts and will continue to serve as an analyst on Cardinals Live pre- and post-game shows. He began his color commentary on telecasts working for KPLR from 2004-2006. Horton has continued to be a part of the Cardinals Radio broadcast team since 1997.

A former left-handed pitcher for the Cardinals, Ricky spent seven years in the Major Leagues, playing for St. Louis, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox. He made his Major League debut with the Cardinals in 1984 and participated in the 1985 and 1987 World Series with the Redbirds and won the Series in 1988 while with the Dodgers. Horton was both a starter and relief pitcher for the club and had one of his best years in 1987 when he went 8-3 in 67 games, pitching 125 innings. In 1991, he spent the season as a pitching coach in the Cleveland Indians minor league system.

After retiring from his Major League playing career, Horton remained in the St. Louis area where he has been active in the Greater St. Louis Area Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving as the Director of the St. Louis FCA since 1993. Horton has assisted with Baseball Chapel with the Cardinals and he also worked with the St. Louis Rams football team in leading chapel and Bible studies. He received the National Sportsmanship Award in 2008, the Mid American Emmy Award for Sports Broadcasting in 2011 and he was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.

Horton, 64, and his wife, Ann, reside in St. Louis and have two children, Jen and Drew.

Mike Claiborne

Mike Claiborne has been covering St. Louis sports since he began his time at KMOX Radio in February of 1981 co-hosting "Sports Open Line." His various duties in St. Louis have consisted of being a color analyst, providing play-by-play, a studio analyst and sideline reporter for St. Louis University Basketball, UM St. Louis Basketball, St. Louis Blues Hockey, St. Louis Rams, Fox Sports Midwest and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Mike has been part of the Cardinals radio Broadcast team since 2006, currently working alongside John Rooney and Ricky Horton. Their work together includes the pregame show, play-by-play and Player of the Game.

Claiborne was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. He has a website ClaibsOnline.com with daily St. Louis sports content that he started in 2019.

Jim Jackson

Jim Jackson, the man who "turns the knobs and pulls the levers" for Cardinals radio, has served as the chief engineer and production coordinator for Cardinals radio since 1998 and has been part of three World Series (2006, 2011 & 2013) with the Cardinals radio broadcast team.

Jackson, a St. Louis native, has served in his same capacity for the St. Louis Blues, St. Louis University Billikens and the St. Louis Rams and he has also worked for the Anheuser-Busch Bud Sports Productions group. In addition to working with current announcers John Rooney, Ricky Horton and Mike Claiborne, Jackson has worked alongside Hall of Fame announcers Jack Buck, Mike Shannon, Joe Buck, Joel Meyers and Wayne Hagin.

Jackson, who has five grown children and eleven grandchildren, lives in St. Louis with his wife, Fran.

Polo Ascencio

Polo Ascencio enters his 9th season as a St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster and his 19th covering baseball. On September 29, 2016, he became the first Spanish play-by-play broadcaster in Cardinals history in a game that ended in dramatic fashion with a Yadier Molina walk-off single over the Cincinnati Reds.

Polo's career began in Santa Barbara, California, back in 2004 in radio and later on TV as a sports anchor for channel 38 KPMR Univision Santa Barbara. In 2006, he started writing for the Los Angeles Dodgers Spanish website. Ascencio was a producer/reporter for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Time Warner Cable (2008-14), where he created and hosted the weekly show "Cubriendo Las Bases." In the winter of 2014, Ascencio was appointed play-by-play announcer for Aguilas de Mexicali in the Mexican Baseball Winter League.

The 2015-16 seasons were spent inside the radio booth with the Dodgers as a producer and statistician for both Spanish and English radio alongside MLB Hall of Fame members Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrin, doubling as a fill in for post-game shows. In 2016 alongside his duties as Cardinals broadcaster, Polo became the first Spanish sports announcer for Ke Buena Radio and the Saint Louis FC soccer organization of the United Soccer League.

In his career of almost two decades now covering sports, Ascencio has covered all editions of the World Baseball Classic, NCAA football, Copa America Centenario de Futbol, Liga MX soccer games, Major League Soccer, International soccer, wrestling and world championship boxing.

Since joining the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 2016, Ascencio has been proactive in reaching out to the community especially Latino families in Missouri and Illinois. He has been involved not only with Cardinals Care, but with many of the Cardinals players' own charities like Fundación 4, Tsunami Waves, the Jason Motte Foundation, Big League Impact, Pujols Family Foundation and others, as well as associations around the Missouri and Illinois area.

In 2022 with the help of Cardinals Care, he launched his own broadcaster ticket program "Los Pajaritos de Polo" with over 200 families benefiting from the program and leading to being recognized that year by the STLBBWAA with the "Good Guy" award for his contributions to the latino community of St. Louis and beyond as he also sponsors little league academy “Los Cardenales” in Tijuana, México where he was born.

In 2023 he was nominated and a finalist for the "Missouri Broadcaster Of The Year Award," with the award ultimately going to Cardinals TV play by play man Chip Caray.

Polo resides in Carpinteria, California, with his wife Maribel their children Bianca, Jacob and their four dogs Rigby, Billie Jean, Frankie and Ramona.

Benjamin (Bengie) Molina

Bengie Molina begins his 9th season with the Cardinals serving as Color Analyst for the Cardinals Radio Spanish Broadcasts.

Molina concluded a 13-season Major League career with a .274 career batting average, 144 HRs and 711 RBI. Molina spent the majority of his career with the Anaheim Angels, after signing in 1993 as a non-drafted free-agent. He made his Major League debut in 1998 with Anaheim helping the team earn their first World Series in 2002 alongside his brother Jose Molina. Molina earned two gold gloves with the Anaheim Angels in 2002 and 2003. In 2006 Molina signed with Toronto Blue Jays as a free agent, hitting 19 home runs and batting .284. He then signed with the San Francisco Giants in 2007 where he accomplished his career high RBI in 2008 with 95 and career high of 20 home runs in 2009. Molina ended his career in 2010 with the Texas Ranger’s after being traded midseason from the Giants. During his time with the Rangers Molina hit for the cycle, a rare accomplishment in the MLB and helped the Rangers go to the World Series for the first time in franchise history where they faced his former team the San Francisco Giants. Regardless of the outcome, Molina was guaranteed a World Series ring. The Cedar Rapids Kernel’s honored Molina by placing him in their hall of fame in 2023.

Molina is the older brother of Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and two-time World Champion 15-year MLB catcher Jose Molina. The trio's father, Benjamin, Sr., was inducted into Puerto Rico's Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame as a second baseman on October 27, 2002, the same day as Game 7 of the 2002 World Series in which Bengie started. Benjamin Sr. was also honored with being inducted into the Puerto Rican Little League Hall of Fame. Bengie Molina owes his success in the MLB to his mother Gladys Matta, if she hadn’t pressured that scout to give him a chance, he wouldn’t have had the success that he did. Bengie is a New York Times best-selling author for his book Molina.

Molina, a native of Espinosa Kuilan Dorado and Vega Alta Puerto Rico, currently resides in St Louis. He has four children Kyshly, Kelssy, Jayda and Bengie Jr.

Television

Chip Caray

Chip Caray enters his second season as the play-by-play announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals on Bally Sports Midwest in 2024. Chip joined the Cardinals more than a half-century after his grandfather Harry, a baseball Hall of Famer, broadcast Cardinals games from 1945-1969.

He previously was the play-by-play voice of the Atlanta Braves for 20 total seasons on Bally Sports South and Bally Sports Southeast (2010-2022), TBS and Peachtree TV (2005-2009) and on TBS and the Atlanta Braves Radio Network (1991-1992). He also spent five seasons (2005-09) as the play-by-play voice of TBS's Major League Baseball coverage.

Caray served as the play-by-play announcer for seven seasons (1998-2004) for Chicago Cubs games on WGN. The 2004 Illinois Sportscaster of the Year, Caray's baseball resume also includes one season as the radio play-by-play announcer for Minnesota's Orlando (AA) affiliate in 1990 and three campaigns with the Seattle Mariners (1993-95).

Caray spent five years (1996-2000) as a member of the FOX Network's Saturday baseball coverage, including three years as a studio host.

He is the third generation of Carays to serve as a play-by-play announcer, after his father Skip and grandfather Harry. On May 13, 1991, the three generations of Carays worked together on a Chicago Cubs/Atlanta Braves game. His half-brother, Josh, is the play-by-play announcer for the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas and Chip's twin sons Chris and Stefan began broadcasting Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles games in 2022.

Chip's broadcast career also includes nine seasons as the television play-by-play voice of the NBA's Orlando Magic (1989-98) and stints calling both University of Florida and Florida State University football and basketball games for the Sunshine Network.

A St. Louis native, Caray graduated from Parkway West High School and the University of Georgia in 1987. He began his career with weekend TV sports anchor stints in Panama City, Fla., and Greensboro, NC. He and his wife Susan have four children: Summerlyn, Christopher, Stefan and Tristan.

Al Hrabosky

Al Hrabosky is currently a member of the Cardinals television broadcast team with Bally Sports Midwest and has been since he began working as a commentator on telecasts for the team in 1985.

Hrabosky made a smooth transition from one of St. Louis' best-loved athletes, the "Mad Hungarian" of the Cardinals 1970's bullpen, to the broadcast booth. During a 13-year major league career in which he compiled 97 saves and earned Fireman of the Year honors in 1975, Hrabosky already was preparing himself for broadcasting by working as a sportscaster for a St. Louis TV station.

Hrabosky was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in February 2003, the Fullerton College Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Savanna High School Hall of Fame in 2011. Away from the booth, he is active in many charities, including the St. Louis Zoo and Angels' Arms.

Jim Edmonds

Jim Edmonds is entering his eighth season with the Cardinals television broadcast team serving as analyst broadcasting games on Bally Sports Midwest. Edmonds will also return for his 10th season as a studio analyst on the Cardinals Live pre-game and post-game shows.

An eight-time Gold Glove recipient and four-time All-Star, Edmonds was one of the best outfielders to play centerfield for the Cardinals. He was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame in the inaugural year of 2014. Edmonds played parts of 17 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Angels, Cardinals, Padres, Cubs, Brewers and Reds, and holds a career .284 batting average after playing in over 2,000 games. He ended his career just shy of 500 doubles (437), 400 homers (393) and 1,200 RBI (1,199). The bulk of Edmonds career was spent wearing a Cardinals uniform, as he played eight seasons with St. Louis (2000-07), hitting .285 with 241 home runs and 713 RBI. He helped lead the team to six playoff appearances, including the 2006 World Series Championship, and in 2000 and 2004 finished in the top five in National League MVP voting.

The left-handed hitting Edmonds was known for his highlight reel catches, perhaps none bigger than his diving catch in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series vs. the Houston Astros at Busch Stadium in 2004. One night after Edmonds forced Game 7 with a 12th-inning, two-run, walk-off homer, he snared a line drive in the left-centerfield gap with a diving catch and his back to the plate.

Edmonds has seven children, daughters Lauren, Hayley, Sutton and Aspen, and sons Landon, Hayes and Hart.

Jim Hayes

Jim Hayes serves as a host and reporter for Bally Sports Midwest, covering the Cardinals for the network's pregame and postgame shows and live game coverage. In his 23 years in St. Louis, Hayes has become one of the city's most well-liked sportscasters, known for his wit and interviews with athletes.

Hayes came to FOX Sports in 2000 as a reporter for the Midwest Sports Report and began covering St. Louis-area sports in 2001. He previously worked for WPHL-WB17 in Philadelphia. He was a sports anchor and reporter for two years at WPHL, where he covered hard sports news throughout the region and shined in featuring the 'lighter side' of sports

Prior to working in Philadelphia, Hayes anchored and reported sports at TSM news, a regional news channel serving Delaware, parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Hayes has also served as sports director at Suburban Cable 2 in Wilmington, Del., where he also hosted coaches shows for the University of Delaware basketball and football programs.

Hayes is a 1984 graduate of the State University College at Geneseo, N.Y. He is a Mid-America Emmy Award winner. Hayes also co-hosts a morning radio show on St. Louis sports talk station KFNS 590 AM.

Hayes, wife Erin and son Tyler reside in St. Louis.

Brad Thompson

Former Cardinals pitcher Brad Thompson serves as a game, pregame and postgame analyst for Cardinals telecasts on Bally Sports Midwest. Thompson first joined the Cardinals broadcast team in 2015 as part of Bally Sports Midwest's studio team, and he called regular-season games in the booth, alongside Dan McLaughlin, for the first time in 2018.

Thompson pitched in 201 games over six Major League seasons, primarily out of the bullpen, with the Cardinals and Kansas City Royals. He was an integral part of the Cardinals bullpen during the team's 2005 and 2006 playoff seasons, with a 2.95 ERA over 40 appearances in 2005 and a 3.34 ERA in 43 games in 2006.

A native of Las Vegas, Thompson attended Dixie State University.

Scott Warmann

Scott Warmann has served as the host of St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues pregame and postgame shows on Bally Sports Midwest since 2016. He also handles play-by-play duties for college sports, including the Missouri Valley Conference and Saint Louis University.

A St. Louis native, Warmann was also a sportscaster on KMOX Radio and a studio host for five seasons on the St. Louis Rams radio network, including the 1999 Super Bowl championship season. Warmann is a Lindenwood University alumnus.

Alexa Datt

Alexa Datt joined Bally Sports Midwest in December 2021 as a host and reporter for its coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues.

A Maryland native and graduate of the University of Maryland, Datt spent nearly five years at both NHL Network and MLB Network, where she hosted NHL On The Fly and The Rundown. She also served as an in-game reporter on MLB telecasts, as well as college basketball.

Her previous experience includes time as a producer, host and reporter at NBC Sports Mid-Atlantic, Bleacher Report and SportsNet New York. In addition, she hosts the podcast Datt's What She Said with Dani, which features interviews with some of the biggest names in baseball.

Tom Pagnozzi

Tom Pagnozzi is entering his first season as a pre- and postgame analyst for St. Louis Cardinals baseball on Bally Sports Midwest in 2024. Tom spent his entire 12-year MLB career playing for the Cardinals from 1987-98. He was an All-Star selection in 1992 and won three Gold Glove awards as a catcher during his career. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the eighth round of the 1983 June Amateur Draft after one season at the University of Arkansas.

In 2010, Pagnozzi was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Pagnozzi's nephew, Matt Pagnozzi, was also a catcher in the Cardinals organization, making his MLB debut in 2009 with the team.

Tom is a native of Tucson, Ariz. where he graduated from Rincon High School. He now resides in Fayetteville, Ark.

Pagnozzi was married to his wife Colleen for 38 years before she passed away in 2022. The couple has three children.

Mark Sweeney

Mark Sweeney is entering his first season as a pre- and postgame analyst for St. Louis Cardinals baseball on Bally Sports Midwest in 2024. Mark has been an MLB analyst for FS1's pregame and postgame shows since 2014. He spent two seasons with FOX Sports San Diego as an analyst on pre- and postgame shows as well as an analyst in the broadcast booth.

Sweeney played 14 MLB seasons with seven different teams from 1995-2008. He started his career with the Cardinals (1995-97) before he was traded to the San Diego Padres during the 1997 season.

He was drafted in the ninth round of the 1991 MLB June Amateur Draft by the California Angels. He attended college at the University of Maine where he was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award. After he retired from his professional career in 2009, Sweeney was hired as an assistant coach by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He worked for three years as a coach and front office executive with the team.

Sweeney is a native of Holliston, Mass. He is married with three children. He currently resides in San Diego and is married to his wife, Cindy. The couple has three children.