Patrick Mahomes may be new to the NFL, but he received an inside look at the life of a pro athlete thanks to his father, Pat Mahomes. Pat was an MLB pitcher for 11 seasons. Patrick grew up catching fly balls with players like Alex Rodgriguez, who Patrick admits was his favorite player.
“Definitely Alex Rodriguez,” Mahomes told 610 Sports Radio (via SB Nation). “My dad had just gotten over with the Rangers and I really remember being on the field and just seeing him. He played shortstop, I played shortstop. That was the guy that was really my role model of how to play the game and have a lot of success doing it.”
Pat played with six different pro baseball teams: Twins, Red Sox, Mets, Rangers, Cubs and Pirates. Mahomes threw 452 strikeouts over his career, and spent his time mostly as a relief pitcher. Patrick spoke with CBS Sports about what he learned from watching players like Derek Jeter up close.
“When he [Rodriguez] was on the Rangers, he was already one of the best players in baseball,” Patrick explained to CBS Sports. “And I watched Derek Jeter do the same type of things. They were guys already on the top. To see how hard they worked to keep getting better is something I will always remember. Those guys weren’t just satisfied with just being one of the best at that time in the league. They wanted to maintain that and step up and be on that legendary status. In the NFL, things happen at any moment. Look at the Super Bowl champs with the Eagles. Nick Foles, if he wasn’t preparing like he was the starter, he wouldn’t have been able to become a Super Bowl MVP. Last year was all about preparing to be a starter for last year and for this year coming up and the future. It was about having the mindset of every single week of dong what I have to do to have success.”
Patrick’s Parents Divorced When He was Young, But They Remain on Good Terms
Patrick’s father and mother, Randi Mahomes, divorced when he was young, but they still remain good friends. Randi noted she saw something different in her son at a young age.
“I knew he’d be a professional athlete when he was 7,” Randi told The Kansas City Star. “I’m serious. There was never a question to him, and I knew he had the talent.”
Patrick was talented enough to play either baseball or football professionally. The Tigers drafted him in the 37th round of the 2014 MLB draft. The Chiefs quarterback cited the challenge of football as to why he ultimately chose to play it over baseball.
“Baseball, I felt like I almost already peaked,” Patrick noted to The Kansas City Star. “I felt like I knew everything about baseball. In football, I’m still learning something every single day.”
In case you are curious, here’s a look at the Royals Farm Report scouting assessment of Patrick the baseball player.
Just as if Patrick Mahomes was going to enter the 2018 MLB Draft with the Royals on the clock at 18 and two or three more times between 32 and 40.
Arm: 65
Hit: 40
Power: 45
Field: 45
Run: 55
Mahomes was known to have an exceptional fastball. Michael Kopech of the Chicago White Sox (who has a pretty good fastball himself) raved about Mahomes’ arm in Mellinger’s article. Mahomes was almost definitely going to be a pitcher had he decided to play baseball.He was actually drafted as a pitcher in the 37th round by the Detroit Tigers back in 2014. Detroit thought so highly of Mahomes that they took a chance on him late in the draft despite Mahomes being clear on his intentions to play college football at TTU.
Mahomes actually made an appearance on the mound for the Texas Tech Red Raiders back in 2015, but never recorded an out. You can forgive him for maybe being a little busy between preparing for both football and baseball.
Patrick’s father agrees that his son could have played both sports, but made the right choice in selecting football.
“Baseball had been pretty much his whole life growing up, and he always played basketball, too,” Mahomes told USA Today. “Those were his two sports. I was trying to keep him from playing football. But then his junior year in high school, he said he wanted to try this quarterback thing and see where it took him…Well, I’ve got to admit, he made the right choice.”
Here’s a look at a young Patrick with his father during his stint with the Twins.
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Patrick Mahomes’ Dad, Pat Mahomes, Played in MLB