Marauders

Ben Pokorny’s baseball dream has begun with the Bradenton Marauders. Like so many going to college, working internships, and dreaming in their beds at night to one day become an MLB radio or TV (or both) voice, Pokorny is among the hopeful.

Beginning in Barrington, Illinois, a small village 32 miles northwest of Chicago, calling balls and strikes is all Pokorny has wanted to do. With the start of the 2023 Florida State League season, Pokorny has reached his career’s starting line with the Marauders.

Working in Single-A baseball for an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates represents exciting times for Pokorny. 16 games into the 132-game season, and the rookie 22-year-old is learning the ropes of his profession quickly. His responsibilities are numerous.

During my visit last week to LECOM Park, Pokorny impressed me with his energy and promptness as I arrived at the Marauders’ home field. More than three hours before the first pitch for a game between the host Marauders and visiting Daytona Tortugas (Cincinnati Reds affiliate), Pokorny is on the move.

After greeting me at the locked gate behind home plate, Pokorny, who reminds me of the lead TV voice of the Chicago White Sox Jason Benetti, who I first met during his days calling Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs games, directs me to a secured parking lot.

We sit in a conference room down the hall from the Marauders’ clubhouse, the same room used by the Pirates during spring training. His story and aspirations are uplifting.

"During spring training, I spent a lot of time being around Joe Block and Greg Brown (Pirates’ lead TV and radio talkers)“, remembers Pokorny. "It’s awesome to come to work each day.“

Getting pointers from veterans on the Major League level only enthused Pokorny when it was his time to go solo on Marauders broadcasts. All Bradenton games can be heard at bradentonmarauders.com and all 66 Marauders’ home games are telecast on MiLB.TV.

Since receiving the phone call from Marauders’ Assistant GM Rebekah Rivette that he was the broadcaster chosen for this season, the excitement hasn’t worn off for Pokorny.

He continues to do his homework on learning about the organizations that will encounter the Marauders this season. The 10-team league has stops in Clearwater, Fort Myers, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and all points between. Pokorny’s on-going baseball education is more like getting extra credit on a paper that he already received an A+ for.

But Pokorny’s ease into his one-man broadcaster job for the Marauders shouldn’t come as a surprise. He has been preparing for this season since his early teens.

The necessary dedication to possibly get an interview and be hired by a professional baseball club has been no stranger to Pokorny.

"I’ve been 100% in for this for the past few years,“ explains Pokorny, who attended the World Series parade in the fall of 2016 for his beloved Chicago Cubs.“

All in for Pokorny to reach Bradenton consisted of making sacrifices. Many sacrifices. Not going home during college break periods to call baseball, softball, and other events, to get experience behind the microphone, he is always looking forward.

Between calling Northwoods League collegiate summer baseball games, and sporting events at the University of Missouri and Arizona State University, Pokorny arrived in Bradenton well-prepared for his professional starting line. Showing up for work at LECOM Park and its 8,500-seat capacity and earning his stripes by educating his audience on clubs named Hammerheads, Tarpons, and Flying Tigers can be tagged a success, early into the Single-A season.

As this week’s six-game road trip for the Marauders with the Dunedin Blue Jays concludes, Pokorny’s baseball IQ has no doubt grown. Along with calling the games, Pokorny keeps busy with posting on Twitter (graphics are simple and sleek). He is the voice and face of the club to those watching and listening to the future Pirates on the field.

Riding the buses back and forth to games, spending late nights and early mornings with baseball on his mind, dreaming one day of having home audiences in Pittsburgh, Chicago, or any of the 28 other MLB markets, Bradenton will always have a special place on Porkorny’s resume.

The anticipation and euphoria experienced by Pokorny when receiving "the call“ from Rebekah Rivette will always be priceless to him.

"I’ll never forget that call. It’s indescribable. It was everything that I ever wanted.“