From Buffalo to Toronto Back to Buffalo: Ben Wagner
Say the name Ben Wagner around Buffalo, and Bisons fans will know the name. Some might even recognize him if you showed them his picture. Now ask a Minor League broadcaster about Ben Wagner, and if they’ve been around long enough, they should be able to tell you a little
Say the name Ben Wagner around Buffalo, and Bisons fans will know the name. Some might even recognize him if you showed them his picture. Now ask a Minor League broadcaster about Ben Wagner, and if they’ve been around long enough, they should be able to tell you a little piece of Ben’s story, even if they don’t know the whole thing.
“Broadcasting with Duke McGuire was an absolute pleasure and education,” Wagner said, as he looked back on his time with the Herd. “Calling two triple plays, three-homer games, and countless walk-offs in dramatic fashion were great learning experiences.”
The New Paris, Indiana native started his professional baseball broadcasting career not too far from here in Lakewood, where he called Blue- Claws games from 2004-2006 after graduating from Indiana State University. His first taste of affiliated baseball was paired with offseason
work at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where he stayed sharp by calling the school’s basketball games.
Wagner’s first big step came in 2007 when he was hired by the Buffalo Bisons to be their next radio broadcaster. A few months shy of his 27th birthday made him one of the youngest broadcasters in Triple-A, giving him an opportunity to call games in a major media market while developing relationships with the team’s parent club, the Cleveland Indians. The Bisons were then aligned with the New York Mets from 2009-12 before moving on to their current partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays, which has been the parent club since 2013.
After eleven seasons riding buses and boarding the earliest flights to travel the International League, Wag- ner was named the voice of the Blue Jays in March of 2018, replacing longtime broadcaster Jerry Howarth. “Amazing and incredibly emotional,” Wagner recalls about the day that changed his life. “The realization that you accomplished your dream was extremely gratifying and is a moment that no one can take away.”
Today, he is in his fourth season with the big league club, where he contributes on both TV and radio and across all of Sportsnet’s platforms. “This season presented a new set of challenges, but being part of our TV broadcasts has been a new way for me to connect with Blue Jays fans and do more with Sportsnet,” he points out.
The Blue Jays are right in the thick of things in the American League East, and Wagner’s been amazed by the team’s next-man-up philosophy as they’ve dealt with a bevy of injuries. “Even going back to the start of Spring Training, this whole troupe is incredible to get to know. We are just starting to see the talent blossom with the young guys but also seeing some of the vets find comfort in new roles is awesome.”
And how about Toronto playing its home games at their Spring Training facility in Dunedin and now at Sahlen Field in Buffalo? “The story of the past two seasons and what these guys have been through deserves a documentary, and I feel really fortunate to have been close enough to help tell their story the past few months. Really remarkable stuff.”