Before we actually saw NFL Network in our channel guides, we began seeing promos with former SportsCenter anchor Rich Eisen as the de facto face of the new entity. With its debut less than two months away, MLB Network has chosen its face.

Matt Vasgersian was announced Wednesday as the first on-air personality for the network, which will hit airwaves on Jan. 1.

Vasgersian spent five years calling Brewers games before taking over lead play-by-play duties for the San Diego Padres in 2002. He was also among the few who had the pleasure of doing XFL games during the football league’s one-year existence. (Really, I think it’s every commentator’s dream to shout, “He Hate Me in for the touchdown!”)

For MLB Network, Vasgersian will anchor the live nightly signature studio show, MLB Tonight, as well as fronting the off-season studio show Hot Stove.

Major League Baseball will be the last of the country’s traditional “four major” sports to launch its own proprietary network, but it’s initial audience of 50 million homes is said to be the largest for any new cable channel.