With broadcasting debut, Ryan Ripken sets course for his part of Ripken legacy

This story was excerpted from Jake Rill’s Orioles Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

BALTIMORE -- A less familiar voice came through the TV speakers during the MASN broadcasts for the Orioles’ three-game series vs. the Nationals at Camden Yards this past weekend. But the name of this color commentator should be familiar to most in these parts.

Ryan Ripken worked alongside play-by-play man Kevin Brown over the weekend, marking the second series this month in which the 32-year-old was in the booth. Ripken made his regular-season MASN debut during the June 5-7 series in Toronto -- where he was paired with play-by-play broadcaster Ben Wagner -- after getting some earlier reps during Spring Training.

Though Ripken may be an inexperienced broadcaster, his passion for Baltimore is unmatched.

“It means a lot for me, obviously, because of being here in Baltimore,” Ripken said. “I love this city, and I want to try to give them a good product.”

Ripken is a surname that means so much in Orioles history. Ryan’s dad, Cal Ripken Jr., is the “Iron Man” -- the Baseball Hall of Famer who played in 2,632 consecutive games and spent his entire 21-year MLB career with the O’s. Ryan’s uncle, Bill, played seven of his 12 big league seasons in Baltimore. And Ryan’s late grandfather, Cal Sr., was a longtime coach/manager who helped establish the “Oriole Way.”

So, Ryan will admit that having the last name of Ripken made him a bit “self-conscious” while growing up in the Baltimore region.

“Not because I’m not proud of my family. I certainly am,” Ripken said. “But what my dad accomplished and my uncle accomplished and my grandfather accomplished, and that’s just three of the Ripkens. That’s not to discredit any of the rest of it, because the whole family as itself -- my grandmother, my mother, all of the Ripkens have had such a big imprint in this area.

“Sometimes, though, you have this feeling of, ‘I want to carve my path.’ So that was always something ... that I was worrying about.”

Ripken’s path began as a Minor League baseball player -- first in the Nationals’ organization (2014-16), then with the Orioles (2017-21). He reached Triple-A in ‘21, but that marked the end.

At that point, Ripken decided to enter the world of media, and he’s been grinding ever since. He has made appearances on local TV and radio stations in recent years, and he created the “Ryan Ripken Show” -- a podcast that routinely lands some major guests from the sports world.

Then, earlier this year, Ripken received an offer from MASN to work as a color commentator for select games.

“I love watching, I love seeing the intricacies,” Ripken said. “Now, it’s, ‘All right, how can I best describe that?’”

Ripken has a baseball background, but he also has relationships in the game. He was Triple-A Norfolk teammates with Kyle Bradish in 2021. The two caught up inside the Orioles’ clubhouse on Saturday. And then, Ripken was calling Bradish’s start on Sunday, noting how important it would be for the right-hander to establish his fastball early in the game.

In the low levels of the Minors, Ripken crossed paths with Luis García Jr., who is now an infielder for Washington. As García hit two home runs on Sunday, Ripken was on the call breaking down how García has evolved as a hitter, especially when he sees breaking balls.

“Everyone that’s told me advice when I said, ‘How should I work? How should I be a better broadcaster?’ said you’ve got to lean on your own experiences and being around the game,” Ripken said. “I’m fortunate enough I got to play and get up to the Triple-A level. But I’m also really fortunate that, whether or not I liked baseball as a kid, I was going to get to know the game because I had a family that was so focused and so detailed with all of it.”

It also helps that Ripken has two tremendous resources in Jim Palmer and Ben McDonald, the primary color commentators on MASN’s Orioles broadcasts.

Palmer is a Baseball Hall of Famer and the greatest pitcher in O’s history. McDonald was selected by Baltimore with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1989 MLB Draft and pitched seven solid seasons for the club. Both have since become popular broadcasters.

Ripken said he shadowed Palmer for a game earlier this season and noted the 80-year-old told him, “You got this, kid.” As for McDonald’s advice to Ripken?

“‘I was once in your position. Take a deep breath,’ and how Ben says it in his big ‘ol Louisiana accent, you know it’s all going to be all right,” Ripken said with a smile. “So just those little things mean the world.”

For Ripken, this past weekend presented him the latest opportunity for him to both find his voice and carve his path. But also, he appreciated the opportunity to further connect with a fan base that has always meant so much to him.

“I just love this community. So it’s been humbling to get to this point, and I hope it’s just the beginning,” Ripken said. “And then, there’s nothing more that I’d want to see than to see Baltimore thrive and cherish and see a baseball championship back here.”