BRADENTON, Fla. -- Steven Brault was walking on the beach with his wife during their honeymoon this past winter when he found a rock that felt the same weight as a baseball. Curious, the seven-year Major League vet decided to toss it, just to see how that left shoulder felt. 

“It did not feel good, let’s just say that,” Brault said. “I wanna make sure my arm is usable for when we have kids and I can play catch with them, so I’m gonna give the arm a little bit of a break.”

Brault recently returned to LECOM Park, the Pirates’ Spring Training home and his spring stomping grounds for most of his professional career. Instead of cleats and a glove, he’s in loafers and armed with a notebook. It’s Friday, and Brault was on the verge of making his broadcasting debut on AT&T SportsNet with Greg Brown and Bob Walk.

By this point in the morning, Brault was more relaxed, about 10 hugs deep from people who were happy to see the lefty again. In his six seasons with the Pirates from 2016-21, the gregarious Brault was one of the most-liked guys in the clubhouse, by teammates and media alike. His return did have him a bit nervous, seeing how he has a press pass now.

“It’s a weird feeling to be back because you’re excited, but I know I’m on the other side now,” Brault said. “There are some nerves that come into it, but then I walk in and see all these faces of guys I’ve known for years and years. The heart feels great, I’ve got a smile on my face and I get to have the same conversations and talk with the same guys.”

Brault’s not much older than most of the players in the Pirates’ clubhouse and played alongside several, including Andrew McCutchen, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Bryan Reynolds and Mitch Keller. Shoulder injuries forced him to give up pitching after 2022 and try a turn as an outfielder for the Spire City Ghost Hounds of the Atlantic League last season. There, he took his final swings before accepting his shoulder wasn’t in good enough shape to keep playing.

Less than three months after announcing his retirement, Brault was at the Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., looking for a broadcasting job. He seemed like a natural fit. He loved to talk about the game and he has a quick wit. Brault also did several extended Zoom guest spots on Pirates broadcasts in 2020 and ‘21 and previously co-hosted a podcast with former Pirates pitcher Trevor Williams.

"I knew [my playing career] wouldn't last forever, so I made sure I got to meet other broadcasters when they came into town and I hung out and talked with our broadcasters a ton," Brault said. "I also let the Pirates know this is what I'm looking to do afterwards.”

Fortunately for him, the Pirates were retooling their broadcaster lineup after announcing a new partnership with the Penguins at SportsNet Pittsburgh, and Brault was brought on as an in-studio analyst.

“After talking through everything, it seemed like the perfect role -- doing pregame, postgame and to work with [Michael] McKenry a lot [to] be able to bounce ideas off each other because we’re both baseball guys,” Brault said. “He’s a catcher, I’m a pitcher, we’re gonna be able to have a lot of fun conversations because of that.”

Those who played with him weren’t too surprised to see Brault take to the mic.

“He has the voice for that, has the personality for it,” McCutchen said. “It’s good to see him. I’m sure he’ll give some good insight, probably throw in some good jokes here when he gets comfortable. It’ll be something good for him.”

Since signing on with SportsNet Pittsburgh, Brault’s been doing plenty of research, not only of these last two seasons, but of Pirates history. He knows Pittsburghers love the heroes of old, and he wants to make sure he is well-versed.

After all, he’s a former Pirate player himself now. Now begins a chapter as a Pirates broadcaster.

“We had perfect timing and now I get to be here and do what I want to do with the team I want to do it with,” Brault said.

In 2019, Brault recorded a .333 batting average over 50 plate appearances. Who was the last Pirates pitcher before him to record an average that high (min. 50 PA)?

A) Steve Blass
B) Gerrit Cole
C) Ken Brett
D) Rick Rhoden

The Pirates unveiled their Spring Breakout roster this week, which will feature some of their top prospects competing against the cream of the crop in the Orioles’ system.

Here are some pitchers worth keeping an eye on when they play March 14:

RHP Braxton Ashcraft: Ashcraft has overcome shoulder troubles and a Tommy John surgery to become the team’s No. 7 prospect. His high-90s fastball and power breaking stuff wowed in Double-A Altoona last year.

RHP David Matoma: The 18-year-old right-hander signed out of Uganda last year and is already flirting with triple digits. He’s several years from the Majors, but he has as big an arm as any player in the system.

LHP Hunter Barco: A second-round Draft pick in 2022, we haven’t seen much of Barco since he was recovering from Tommy John surgery when the Pirates drafted him. The club’s No. 14 prospect, he made six starts with Single-A Bradenton last year, but this could be an unofficial debut for his first full professional season.

D) Rick Rhoden

A case can be made that Rhoden is the Pirates’ greatest hitting pitcher of all-time, as evidenced by him winning three straight Silver Sluggers from 1984-1986. In 1984, he recorded 28 hits over 84 at-bats (.333 average) with six doubles and four RBIs.

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