Eric Hosmer is adding another chapter to his baseball career, this time in front of the camera. The former World Series champion and four-time Gold Glove first baseman will join MLB Network as an on-air analyst, bringing a recently retired player’s perspective to the network’s studio coverage heading into the 2026 season.
Hosmer, who stepped away from playing in January 2024 after a 13-year major league career, will make his season debut on March 25 when he appears on MLB Central and MLB Now. Both programs will air in the lead-up to Opening Night, providing analysis and discussion as the new season approaches.
For Hosmer, the opportunity offers a natural transition into a different role within the sport that defined his professional life for more than a decade.
“I’m excited to join the MLB Network family,” Hosmer said in the network’s announcement. “Baseball has been such a huge part of my life for a long time, and joining the Network gives me the opportunity to stay connected to it in a new way. I’m looking forward to breaking down the game and sharing a player’s perspective on what it takes to compete at the highest level.”
Network executives believe Hosmer’s experience and personality will translate well to television. According to MLB Network Senior Vice President of Production Marc Caiafa, Hosmer demonstrated an ability to analyze the modern game while connecting with viewers during previous appearances.
“Eric Hosmer’s playing career speaks for itself with his championship résumé, and he was always a fan favorite of ours, showing a deep understanding of the game in his interviews,” Caiafa said. “During his time with us as a guest analyst last season, he always added to the conversation — whether breaking down his approach at the plate or sharing insight into the personalities of today’s game.”
Hosmer already has some television experience. Following his retirement, he appeared as a guest analyst on MLB Network in 2025 and also contributed to the pregame and postgame coverage surrounding Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+. He is expected to continue that role during the upcoming season while also contributing to coverage on Royals.TV beginning in 2026.
The move into broadcasting keeps Hosmer closely tied to the sport after a decorated career that began when the Kansas City Royals selected him third overall in the 2008 MLB Draft. Hosmer quickly became one of the organization’s foundational players and helped lead the franchise’s mid-2010s resurgence, which culminated in the club capturing the 2015 World Series title.
During his time in Kansas City, Hosmer earned four Gold Glove Awards between 2013 and 2017 and also secured All-Star honors in 2016, a season that included winning All-Star Game MVP. After seven seasons with the Royals, he later spent five years with the San Diego Padres before shorter stints with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs.
Across 1,689 career games, Hosmer compiled 1,753 hits, 198 home runs and 893 RBIs while establishing a reputation as one of the league’s most reliable defensive first basemen.
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