Fernando Mendoza's ceremonial first pitch was a little bit wild

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza throws the ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals at loanDepot Park. Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Fernando Mendoza's ceremonial first pitch was a little bit wild

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Apr 22, 2026 12:33 PM ET

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Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s ceremonial first pitch at Tuesday’s Miami Marlins game left a lot to be desired.

Mendoza was enlisted to throw out the first pitch prior to the Marlins’ 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, on Tuesday.

The likely No. 1 NFL Draft pick tried to make the pitch from the top of the mound, but unworked one way high and outside.

It may seem obvious, but it’s easy to tell that Mendoza is a football player and not a baseball guy. He throws the ball like a quarterback, even here, so he obviously gets a bit more height on the ball than he probably intended to.

I'm a Mendoza guy but thank god I'm not a GM because I would take this throw into consideration pic.twitter.com/MNgm2zV1Zk
— Marty Mush (@martymush) April 22, 2026

The good news for Mendoza is that he will not actually be judged on his first pitch. The better news is that there are plenty of other athletes, including some NFL stars, that have done way worse.

Mendoza, a Miami native, recently revealed some big news about his plans during the draft.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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