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Phillies fans will see a familiar face on TV covering the MLB draft

World Series MVP Cole Hamels is joining MLB Network's draft coverage in Philly, which will take over after NBC broadcasts the first hour and a half.

Former Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels is expanding his broadcasting career by joining the MLB Network's coverage of this year's draft.
Former Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels is expanding his broadcasting career by joining the MLB Network's coverage of this year's draft. Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
    by Rob Tornoe
    Published 

If the Phillies end up taking a pitcher with the No. 36 pick in the upcoming draft, the MLB network will have the perfect analyst on hand to break it down.

Cole Hamels, the 2008 World Series MVP and current NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcaster, is joining MLB Network’s live coverage of the 2026 MLB draft, which kicks off Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Longtime MLB Network coordinating producer Chris Roenbeck, who is working his fourth draft, said they’re always looking to add a “special wrinkle” to their coverage. With this year’s draft taking place in Philadelphia, the stars aligned to add Hamels to their broadcast.

“When we started brainstorming months ago, we quickly thought of Cole, given his decorated career with the Phillies and being a first-round pick,” Roenbeck said. “We’ll go to him early and often for pitching insights, relying on his unique perspective, which will only enhance our broadcast.”

Hamels is the only new addition to MLB’s Network’s draft coverage, which will be hosted by Greg Amsinger and feature analysis by Mark DeRosa, Harold Reynolds, and former Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd.

“We’re beyond excited to have Cole part of our draft team,” Amsinger said, noting Hamels’ “draft experience and pitching expertise will take our show to the next level.”

Hamels is in his second season as a part-time Phillies announcer on NBC Sports Philadelphia, where he’s called four games so far this year. He’s expected to broadcast six to eight games, taking over a portion of the schedule given up this year by Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, but the network would love to have more.

“Certainly, we would love to have him every weekend,” Alexandra Matcham, the vice president of content for NBC Sports Philadelphia, told The Inquirer in March.

Hamels won’t be the only Philly addition. The opening of MLB Network’s draft coverage will be voiced by Black Thought (aka Tariq Trotter), lead MC of the Philly hip hop group The Roots.

NBC will broadcast the first 10 picks of the MLB draft

Hamels and company will be on hand to discuss the Phillies No. 32 pick, but MLB Network won’t air the first 10 picks of the draft

Why? Because NBC will be broadcasting the first hour and a half of this year’s MLB draft as part of their three-year TV rights deal with MLB, taking over for ESPN.

As a result, the MLB draft will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday on NBC before coverage shifts to MLB Network at 2:30 p.m., picking things up with the No. 11 pick.

NBC will carry MLB Network’s production, so you won’t see Mike Tirico and crew this weekend.

The entire draft will stream on Peacock, which will simulcast MLB Network’s coverage after NBC cuts away to cover the American Century Championship, often described as the Super Bowl of celebrity golf tournaments.

The draft streaming on Peacock is good news for YouTube TV subscribers, where MLB Network has remained dark for three years due to a contract dispute. The network is also available to stream as part of MLB+, beginning at $5.99 per month.

The MLB Network has broadcast the draft since 2009. ESPN was the first network to broadcast the draft, which aired the first round live on ESPN2 in 2007.

Quick hits

  1. “This doesn’t have to be the last soccer you watch for the next four years.” That was John Strong, Fox’s lead World Cup announcer, pleading with American fans after the U.S. was eliminated from the World Cup by Belgium Monday.

  2. Credit to Delran native an two-time World Cup champ Carli Lloyd, who wasn’t afraid to criticize U.S. star Christian Pulisic after America’s disappointing loss.

  1. On a brighter note for American football fans, the NFL preseason is less than a month away. The annual Pro Football Hall of Fame game, featuring the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers, kicks off Aug. 6. The Eagles first preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens is one week later on Aug. 15.

  2. Scott Franzke and the rest of the Phillies radio announcers are getting a second life on social media thanks to Nick Piccone, a lifelong fan in Delco who matches audio clips to the TV broadcast.