BOSTON – Suffolk baseball assistant coach and Suffolk alum Jhonneris Mendez, who is in his first season as the Manager of the Seacoast Mavericks apart of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL), has been named an assistant coach for the upcoming FCBL games versus Team USA's Collegiate National Team, FCBL Commissioner Chris Hall announced this week.
Mendez has been on the Rams' bench for the past two seasons in which Suffolk has seen unparalleled success. During Suffolk's offseason, Mendez works as Manager of the Mavericks. After serving on Seacoast's staff as assistant coach in 2016, where he helped guide the Mavericks to the winningest season in the team's history with a 36-18 ledger, he took over the reigns as the team's Manager in 2017. This season, he has led the Mavericks to a 12-14 record in the midst of their season.
Mendez next coaching journey will be on Worcester Bravehearts Manager, JP Pyne's staff, working with the FCBL handed-picked roster to compete against Team USA's Collegiate National Team at Hanover Insurance Park in Worcester, Massachusetts, July 11th at 7:05 p.m. Nashua Silver Knights Manager BJ Neverette and Brockton Rox's Manager Tad Skelley will also working as assistants alongside Mendez.
USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team has produced some of the USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team has produced some of Major League Baseball's greatest talents including former Boston Red Sox Jason Varitek and Nomar Garciaparra, and current Red Sox, Dustin Pedroia, Jackie Bradley, Jr., David Price, Deven Marrero, and Matt Barnes. Most recently, the Collegiate National team had 16 alumni represented in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
Team USA is preparing to compete in the 41st USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series. After the completion of The Futures League vs. Team USA, the Collegiate National Team will face Team Japan at Hanover Insurance Park, in Worcester, Massachusetts, home of the Worcester Bravehearts on July 13th. Followed by games at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, Massachusetts, home of the Brockton Rox on July 14th, and at Holman Stadium in Nashua, New Hampshire, home of the Nashua Silver Knights on July 17th.
The Futures League couldn't be more excited at the opportunity of playing Team USA. "This is a great opportunity for not only the league, but for each player who have been selected to play against the top players in the nation, and in front of a crowd of Major League scouts" said Hall.
At Suffolk over the past two years, Mendez has helped the blue-and-gold to their first-ever back-to-back GNAC title and sixth trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2016, before the Rams threepeated in 2017 to make a name for themselves on the regional circuit. Suffolk's journey to the Big Dance this season will go down in the Rams' record book with the team earning a place in the winner's bracket and on Championship Sunday for the first-time in the program's 70-year history and seven NCAA Tourney trips.
Over his two seasons on Suffolk's bench, Mendez has worked with six student-athletes honored with eight accolades from the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) in conjunction with the American Baseball Coaches' Association (ABCA) and Rawlings, with three Suffolk standouts earning D3Baseball.com All-Region recognition in 2017, while rising senior Brady Chant grabbed All-American status with a spot on D3Baseball.com's honorable mention squad. Also with Mendez on the staff, Suffolk has taken home 26 postseason accolades from the GNAC including back-to-back Pitcher of the Years in Worth Walrod and Chuck Gibson, in 2016 and 2017 respectively, and the 2016 Rookie of the Year Jake Frasca.
Mendez, who earned a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Sociology, Crime and Justice from Suffolk in May 2014, graduated in December 2016 with a Master's of Education. During his graduating coursework, Mendez worked as a graduate assistant in the Athletics Department as the Director of Intramurals.
On the diamond for the Rams, Mendez spent four years playing third base, right field and pitching. He earned first-team all-conference honors in the GNAC in 2012, Division III Baseball National Player of the Week in that same season and Suffolk University Athlete of the Year a year later (2013). Mendez was also a member of the Rams' men's basketball team during the 2012-13 season and served on the NCAA National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) from January 2013 to May 2014.