Patrick Lavon Mahomes (born August 9, 1970) is an American former professional baseball

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

from to with the

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

, Texas Rangers,

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...

, and

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

. Mahomes also pitched in two seasons in

Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...

, and , with the

Yokohama BayStars The are a professional baseball team in the Japan, Japanese Central League. Their home field is Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The team has been known by several names since becoming a professional team in 1950. It adopted its c ...

. He last played with the

Grand Prairie AirHogs The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...

of the independent

American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...

in .

Early life and amateur career

Mahomes was born in Texas, one of three children of Johnny and Cindy Mahomes. His father worked for a local oil company and coached Mahomes' youth baseball team. His mother worked as a nurse until Mahomes was seven years old when she suffered a car accident which left her requiring the use of a wheelchair. Mahomes attended Lindale High School in

Lindale, Texas Lindale () is a city in Smith County, Texas, United States. Located in East Texas, the population was 6,059 in the 2020 census. It is part of the Tyler, Texas, metropolitan statistical area. History The area of Smith County where Lindale ...

where he played baseball,

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

and

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

. He was an intense competitor and, according to his parents, would cry or refuse to eat or talk after every loss in high school. He was also a member of the

National Honor Society The National Honor Society (NHS) is a nationwide organization for high school students in the United States and outlying territories, which consists of many chapters in high schools. Selection is based on four criteria: scholarship (academic achi ...

and had the second-highest

grade point average Grading in education is the process of applying standardized measurements for varying levels of achievements in a course. Grades can be assigned as letters (usually A through F), as a range (for example, 1 to 6), as a percentage, or as a numbe ...

in his graduating class. Mahomes was only as a high school junior but earned all-state honors as a football

quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...

and averaged 30 points per game in basketball nonetheless. On the baseball field, he played

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...

and pitched. He received scholarship offers to play all three sports collegiately but most strongly considered a scholarship offer to play

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...

and walk on to the basketball team at the

University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...

Professional career

Early minor league career

Mahomes began his professional career with the

Elizabethton Twins The Elizabethton Twins were a Minor League Baseball team of the Appalachian League and a Rookie-level affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They were located in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and were named for their major league affiliate. The team playe ...

in 1988 as a

starting pitcher In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...

. Over the next few years, he worked his way up through the Twins farm system, reaching Triple-A in with the

Portland Beavers The Portland Beavers was the name of separate minor league baseball teams, which represented Portland, Oregon, in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). The team was established in 1903, the first year of the PCL. Franchise history Many baseball teams ...

Minnesota Twins

Mahomes made his major league debut with the Twins in 1992. He made the team out of

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...

, and started the sixth game of the season, on April 12 against the Texas Rangers, pitching six innings and getting a

no decision A no decision (sometimes written no-decision) is one of either of two sports statistics scenarios; one in baseball and softball, and the other in boxing and related combat sports. Baseball and softball A starting pitcher who leaves a game with ...

. He notched his first major league win in his next start, on April 21 against the

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...

. Mahomes played with the Twins into the 1996 season, appearing in a total of 114 games (51 starts) during five seasons while compiling an 18–28 record with 5.82 ERA, with 217 strikeouts in innings. The Twins traded Mahomes to the Red Sox on August 26, 1996, in exchange for a

player to be named later In Major League Baseball, a player to be named later (PTBNL) is an unnamed player involved in exchange or "trade" of players between teams. The terms of a trade are not finalized until a later date, most often following the conclusion of the seaso ...

(which turned out to be pitcher

Brian Looney Brian James Looney (born September 26, 1969) is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during three seasons at the major league level for the Montreal Expos and Boston Red Sox. He was drafted by the Expos in the 10th round of the 199 ...

Boston Red Sox

Mahomes pitched a total of 21 games (all in relief) during the 1996 and 1997 seasons with Boston, registering a 6.85 ERA with 3–0 record and 11 strikeouts in innings. He was released by the Red Sox on June 27, 1997.

Yokohama BayStars

Mahomes played for the Yokohama BayStars of Nippon Pro Baseball, arriving with them midway through the 1997 season, and pitched with them through 1998.

New York Mets

Mahomes was signed by the Mets in December 1998. He went 8–0 in the 1999 season during 39 relief appearances, and helped the Mets reach the playoffs. Mahomes made four relief appearances during the postseason, recording a 2.25 ERA in eight innings pitched while striking out four, as the Mets lost to the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...

in the NLCS. In 2000, Mahomes was 5–3 in 53 appearances (five starts), and while the Mets reached the 2000 World Series, Mahomes was left off the Mets' playoff roster. In his two seasons with the Mets, Mahomes appeared in 92 regular season games (five starts) with a 4.74 ERA, 13–3 record, and 127 strikeouts in innings. He became a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

in December 2000.

Texas Rangers

Mahomes signed with the home state team Texas Rangers in January 2001. During the 2001 season, he appeared in 56 games (four starts) with a 5.70 ERA and 7–6 record, while striking out 61 in innings. Mahomes again became a free agent in November 2001.

Chicago Cubs

In January 2002, Mahomes signed with the Cubs. He made 16 appearances (two starts) during the 2002 season, with a 3.86 ERA and 1–1 record, striking out 23 in innings. Mahomes became a free agent in October 2002.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Mahomes was signed by Pittsburgh in January 2003. He made nine appearances (one start) with the Pirates during the 2003 season, recording an 0–1 record with 4.84 ERA and 13 strikeouts in innings. This would prove to be his final season playing in MLB. Mahomes again became a free agent in September 2003. Overall, Mahomes pitched 11 seasons in MLB, making a total of 308 regular season appearances (63 starts) with a 42–39 record, 5.47 ERA, and 452 strikeouts in 709 innings pitched. He had 43

at bats In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...

during his career, with 11 hits (.256

batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...

) and four RBIs.

Minor league journeyman

In , Mahomes pitched primarily for the

AAA affiliate, the

Nashville Sounds The Nashville Sounds are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the ci ...

, while appearing in nine games for the Pirates. In , he split the season between three organizations, pitching for the

Edmonton Trappers The Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in Edmonton, Alberta. They were a part of the Triple-A level in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Their home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton. The ...

in the

Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...

farm system, the

Albuquerque Isotopes The Albuquerque Isotopes are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They play home games at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at an el ...

in the

Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...

system, and then again at Nashville at the end of the season. After spending with the Las Vegas 51s in the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...

organization, Mahomes turned to the independent leagues, starting with the

Long Island Ducks The Long Island Ducks are an American professional minor-league baseball team based on Long Island in Central Islip, New York. The Ducks compete in the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), an independent "partne ...

of the Atlantic League. After going 11–4 with a 3.87

ERA An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth. Comp ...

, he signed with

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...

in August, but was released a month later. Mahomes began the 2007 season with the

Sioux Falls Canaries The Sioux Falls Canaries are a professional baseball team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The Canaries are members of the North Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major L ...

of the American Association. On August 24, the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

signed him, and he appeared in three games for the

Syracuse Chiefs Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York *Syracuse, Indiana * Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...

before becoming a free agent at the end of the season. Mahomes signed with the

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are an American professional baseball team based in Waldorf, Maryland. They are members of the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent "partner league" of Major League Baseb ...

of the Atlantic League in , but only appeared in two games for them before returning to Sioux Falls. He split the 2009 season between Sioux Falls and Grand Prairie. In 2019, Mahomes was inducted to the

Hall of Fame.

Personal life

Mahomes has two children with his ex-wife: Patrick II, who is a

for the

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...

, and Jackson, who is a social media influencer. Patrick II goes by Patrick to avoid being confused with his father.

References

External links

, o
Retrosheet
o
Baseball Reference (Independent, Japanese and Minor leagues)Pura Pelota (Venezuelan Winter League)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahomes, Pat 1970 births Living people African-American baseball players Albuquerque Isotopes players American expatriate baseball players in Canada American expatriate baseball players in Japan Baseball players from Texas Boston Red Sox players Caribes de Oriente players Chicago Cubs players Edmonton Trappers players Elizabethton Twins players Grand Prairie AirHogs players Iowa Cubs players Kenosha Twins players Las Vegas 51s players Long Island Ducks players Major League Baseball pitchers Minnesota Twins players Nashville Sounds players Navegantes del Magallanes players American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela New York Mets players Norfolk Tides players Omaha Royals players Orlando Sun Rays players Pawtucket Red Sox players People from Bryan, Texas Pittsburgh Pirates players Portland Beavers players Salt Lake Buzz players Sioux Falls Canaries players Southern Maryland Blue Crabs players Syracuse Chiefs players Texas Rangers players Tiburones de La Guaira players Visalia Oaks players Yokohama BayStars players 21st-century African-American sportspeople 20th-century African-American sportspeople