The Pirates hired Joe Block, who previously served as the Milwaukee Brewers’ radio play-by-play man, to their broadcast team, the club announced today.

Block replaces Tim Neverett, who took a similar job with the Boston Red Sox.

Block, 37, spent the past four years calling Brewers games, often alongside Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker. In 2011, he hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers’ radio postgame show on KABC-AM, and for nine years before that, he called minor league games.

Block has also called college football and basketball games for regional television networks for 10 years. From 2007 to 2011, he was the New Orleans Hornets’ radio studio host.

“Joe’s hiring is a result of an extensive search that involved more than 225 qualified applicants and a group of final candidates all of whom are Major League caliber broadcasters,” Pirates president, Frank Coonelly said in a statement. “Joe’s play-by-play ability, diverse experience, strong work ethic and genuine desire to become a permanent part of the Pirates family and Pittsburgh community, made him our top choice.”

Block’s wife, Bethany, is originally from South Park. They recently had a daughter, so moving closer to family was appealing.

“The opportunity for me to kind of expand what I was doing with the Brewers and do nine innings and do some television as well, professionally, there was that lure,” Block said.

Bill Brink: bbrink@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrinkPG.

First Published: January 30, 2016, 5:45 p.m.
Updated: January 30, 2016, 6:32 p.m.