Softball legend Jessica Mendoza has joined the front office for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball.
Mendoza, who has worked for ESPN in various broadcasting roles since 2007, “will provide insight… her focus will be in the areas of player evaluation, roster construction, technological advancement and health and performance,” according to a team press release.
In addition to her work with the Mets, Mendoza will continue in her role as a color commentator and analyst on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, a role that she has held since 2016. In addition to her tenure on the Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team, Mendoza has also worked on other events, including the Little League World Series, College World Series, and softball’s Women’s College World Series. Mendoza has also worked as a college football sideline reporter, and in 2015, became the first female analyst for a nationally-televised MLB postseason game.
As an athlete during her playing days, Mendoza was a four-time first-team all-American at Stanford and ended her collegiate career as the Cardinal’s program record holder in six various statistical categories, including batting average; home runs; slugging percentage; and hits, among other categories. After her collegiate career, Mendoza was a two-time Olympian outfielder for Team USA, earning a gold medal in 2004 and a silver medal at the 2008 Games. She was named the 2006 USA Softball Athlete of the Year and in 2008 was recognized as the Sportswoman of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation.
Mendoza’s hire follows the Mets’ hiring of franchise alums Al Leiter and John Franco on Monday to similarly-titled roles as baseball operations advisers. Leiter, notably, had served as a broadcaster for the cross-town rival Yankees, but left that position in January before joining the Mets.
