Ryan Lefebvre

{{short description|American sportscaster (born 1971)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date = February 2025}}

{{Infobox person

| birth_date = {{Birth-date and age|February 12, 1971}}

|birth_place=Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| occupation = Sports announcer

| employer = FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City

| father = Jim Lefebvre

}}

Ryan James Lefebvre ({{IPAc-en|l|ə|ˈ|f|iː|v|ər}}; born February 12, 1971) is an American sportscaster, best known as a play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals since 1999. In 2008, he became the primary announcer for Royals' television broadcasts on Bally Sports Kansas City. Lefebvre also provides play-by-play on the Royals Radio Network to give longtime Royals announcer Denny Matthews days off. Since the 2012 season, he has called most games.{{Cite web |title=Royals Radio Network |url=https://www.mlb.com/royals/schedule/royals-radio-network |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305112118/http://mlb.mlb.com/kc/schedule/royals_radio_network.jsp |archive-date=2014-03-05 |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=MLB.com}}

Lefebvre was named Most Valuable Player for the Minnesota Golden Gophers in 1993,[http://www.gophersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=39199&SPID=3298&DB_OEM_ID=8400&ATCLID=271864 Retrieved October 12, 2008.]{{dead link|date=January 2012}} and made first-team All Big Ten in 1991 and 1993 as an outfielder.{{cite web|url=http://www.gophersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=39199&SPID=3298&DB_OEM_ID=8400&ATCLID=271853|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124184603/http://www.gophersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=39199&SPID=3298&DB_OEM_ID=8400&ATCLID=271853|url-status=dead|title=GOPHERSPORTS.COM - The Official Athletic Site of the Minnesota Gopher…|date=24 January 2013|archive-date=24 January 2013|access-date=30 January 2018}} In 1992, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star.{{cite news | last =Naylor | first =Kevin | title = Hyannis Pitcher Quietly Earns All-Star Spot | pages = 12 | newspaper = Yarmouth Register | location = Yarmouth, MA | date = July 23, 1992 | url = http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Yarmouth/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=DPLTR%2F1992%2F07%2F23&id=Ar01201&sk=F0E402FA&viewMode=image }}{{cite web|url=https://falmouthcommodores.com/my-account/player-records/ |title=Player Records |publisher=falmouthcommodores.com |accessdate=April 10, 2021}} Lefebvre spent one season in the Cleveland Indians minor league system with the Watertown Indians of the New York–Penn League.{{Cite web |title=Ryan Lefebvre Minor Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=lefebv001rya |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

Lefebvre had also broadcast TV and cable for the Minnesota Twins from 1995 to 1998.

He is the son of former Major League Baseball player and manager Jim Lefebvre.

In early 2006, Lefebvre made public his struggle with depressive illness.{{Cite news |last=Passan |first=Jeff |author-link=Jeff Passan |date=2006-04-02 |title=The Radio Man |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star-the-radio-man/165199214/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |work=The Kansas City Star |page= |pages=G-4, G-5 |via=Newspapers.com}} Lefebvre also wrote a book detailing his experiences, titled The Shame of Me: One Man's Journey to Depression and Back.

Ryan Lefebvre has spoken about the importance of his Catholic faith in overcoming depression and gaining a renewed perspective on life.{{cite web |last=Beattie |first=Trent |date=2011-03-18 |title=Hope Springs Eternal on the Diamond |url=https://www.ncregister.com/interview/hope-springs-eternal-on-the-diamond |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=National Catholic Register}}