Leikam makes leap to Major Leagues

BELOIT—Making the jump from Class-A ball to the Major Leagues is a move rarely seen in professional baseball.

Beloit’s Jason Leikam became a notable exception this summer.

No, Leikam won’t be hitting cleanup or become a member of a starting rotation anytime soon. However, he is the new public address announcer for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Leikam, who has been the in-park Voice of the Sky Carp since 2021, recently accepted the position and will commute between Wisconsin and Florida when the Rays are in town.

“I’m incredibly honored and humbled to be the voice of the Rays, just like I was to be the voice of the Sky Carp,” Leikam said. “There’s no job in Tampa for me without my time with the Sky Carp, and for that I’m extremely grateful.”

Being behind the microphone is where Leikam is most comfortable. After beginning his career in radio, Leikam branched out and started his own voiceover company in 2014.

“I needed to get out of the cubicle world,” he said. “And my wife Kristy trusted me to not put us too far into debt. It’s gone really well since then.”

Leikam got into the sports gig quite accidentally.

“While my daughters were involved in their high school sports at Kettle Moraine Lutheran, they were seeking volunteers to do the PA for some basketball games,” he said. “Nobody else was stepping up, so I volunteered. I got hooked from there.”

Following his daughters’ graduation, Leikam branched out, calling games for Cardinal Stritch University and several area high schools.

A simple Google search led him to Beloit.

“I just sent out a blanket of emails after I searched ‘Baseball teams in Wisconsin’,” Leikam said. “I was familiar with the Snappers, but hadn’t heard of the name switch to the Sky Carp. So I sent an email, and (Vice President of Entertainment) Maria Valentyn eventually had me come down for an audition.”

After doing a mock game for an audience of select Sky Carp front office members, the job was his. Leikam said he will remember his Sky Carp experience fondly.

“The first impression that I had was just how friendly and welcoming everyone was,” Leikam said. “It’s professionally run, but not stuffy. And then when the opportunity came along with Tampa Bay, everyone here has just been so supportive. It’s just been a great experience overall.”

Leikam just happened upon the opening in Tampa Bay.

“I wasn’t actively looking for another job,” Leikam said. “I am a member of a public address announcer group on Facebook. They post jobs as they become available, and this one popped up. I figured I’ll give it a shot. They had me send in a demo tape. Then I did a Zoom interview, and after that they had me do a full-game simulation, which they then put over their speakers in the park to see how I sounded.

“At that point, they told me I was one of three candidates. They flew me down there to do two games. I was nervous, but in my head I just kept thinking that I had nothing to lose. At the end of the audition, I knew that I had done as well as I could. And if that wasn’t good enough, then I was going to be fine with that.”

Leikam got the job, and now he’s looking forward to an exciting late summer and fall.

“With how well they are doing, I’m extremely excited,” Leikam said. “It’s fun to think about being there for the playoffs, and then of course the ultimate dream would be to call a World Series game.”

Valentyn said Leikam will be missed in Beloit.

“We’ve been so fortunate to have had Jason as our PA announcer for the last year and a half,” Valentyn said. “This is my eighth season in minor league baseball and I can honestly say he’s by far the best one in all of the minor leagues. His voice is second to none, and I feel like we’ve truly had a Major League announcer with us the entire time he’s been here.”

The search for the next great Sky Carp voice begins now! Those interested in the opportunity may email [email protected]!