| Melanie Newman | |
|---|---|
| Baltimore Orioles | |
| Broadcaster | |
| Born:Melanie Lynne Newman (1991-05-27)May 27, 1991 (age 34)[1] | |
| Teams | |
As Broadcaster
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Melanie Lynne Newman (born May 27, 1991) is an American radio and televisionplay-by-play broadcaster for theBaltimore Orioles ofMajor League Baseball (MLB) and previously did nationalFriday Night Baseball broadcasts onApple TV+. She is the first woman to be a play-by-play announcer for the Orioles and one of only four female play-by-play broadcasters active in MLB.
Newman began her broadcasting career while as a student atTroy University,[2] where she majored in broadcast journalism.[3] She was the play-by-play announcer for Troy'svolleyball team, as well as callingbaseball andsoftball games as a student.[3] She graduated in 2013.[3]
She called games inMinor League Baseball for several years, including atHigh-A andDouble-A.[4] Newman worked as a sideline reporter forFox Sports Southwest and served as play-by-play announcer for theFrisco RoughRiders.[5] In 2019, she joined Suzie Cool as part of the first all-female broadcast team in professional baseball when she served as play-by-play broadcaster for theSalem Red Sox.[6]
In 2020, the Orioles announced that Newman had joined their broadcast team.[7] TheCOVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of the MLB season, and so she made her debut on August 4, 2020, becoming the first woman to ever call a regular-season Orioles game when she was part of the radio broadcast team.[8] Newman also served as a sideline reporter and a studio host for Orioles' television broadcasts.[9] On July 20, 2021, Newman was the play-by-play announcer as part of the first all-female broadcast team, who called theBaltimore Orioles vs.Tampa Bay Rays game forYouTube.[10]
On September 29, 2021, Newman teamed withJessica Mendoza to call a game between theLos Angeles Dodgers andSan Diego Padres forESPN.[11] It marked the first time that an all-female broadcast team called a nationally televised Major League Baseball game.
For the2022 MLB season, Newman was a play-by-play announcer forApple TV+Friday Night Baseball.[12]
In 2023, Newman was one of three commentators for the BBC's coverage of MLB's London Series.[13]
On September 8, 2024, Newman was half of the ROKU Sunday Leadoff baseball broadcast booth between the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles.[14]
Newman grew up inWoodstock, Georgia.[15]