Brotherly Bond Drives Terps’ David Mendez In Debut Big Ten Season

“You’re never not going to see him with a smile,” David Mendez said about his brother. “If you look over at him, he’s probably going to be cheering or yelling at the other team. He’s always smiling, which is awesome.”

Mendez is one of many new faces on Maryland’s roster, but the most important relationship in his life isn’t in the clubhouse. 

His brother Diego lives with cerebral palsy — a condition that affects his daily life, but not his love for sports.

“He’s my biggest supporter,” Mendez said. “He goes to all my games that he’s able to make, especially this year being an hour from home. He’s been at every home game, which has been awesome.”

Diego is a sports guy through and through. A diehard fan of everything D.C., he’s tuned into just about every broadcast or livestream of the Nationals, Commanders or Capitals.

An athlete himself, Diego played wheelchair basketball growing up, creating a common bond around a passion for competition between the brothers. They were always at each other’s games, despite playing two different sports. Mendez wore No. 25 growing up — the same number Diego wore playing wheelchair basketball.

“It’s awesome knowing that as different as our lifestyles have been, we’re both very similar in those types of ways,” Mendez said. “We both love winning and competing, so it’s awesome sharing that type of stuff.”

Mendez appreciated basketball, but his heart always pulled him toward the diamond. He loved competing in what he considered a “harder sport,” one that forced him to overcome adversity in a game built on failure.

“In basketball, you can just score a basket every time,” Mendez said. “Baseball was difficult growing up, but through those experiences, I fell in love with it. Diego started loving baseball because he was watching me play and seeing me succeed in big moments.”

Those big moments lifted him to a career at the collegiate level. Mendez started college at Dayton — the first of three stops on his college baseball journey — taking him away from his family for the first time. 

“It was tough,” Mendez said. “As a freshman, you’re told that you’re going to have to change a lot of things, but that comes with the ability to work through it and find yourself a little bit.”

Away from home, Mendez learned to lean on his teammates and create relationships built on vulnerability, one of the many traits that baseball brings out in a player. In seasons full of highs and lows across dozens of games, the bonds within a clubhouse can make or break a roster.

“In baseball, you get to see people when they’re not at their best,” Mendez said. “It’s a sport where you’re going to fail more than you’re going to succeed. Being able to open up and establish relationships with the guys around you and allowing yourself to be vulnerable helps out a lot. Being able to open up and see other sides of people really creates good relationships.”

Still, Mendez’s closest relationships lived miles away, back home in Aldie, Virginia. His family made it to every game they could, but the logistics of the whole family traveling made it difficult.

Mendez transferred to Vanderbilt for his sophomore year. After a year with the Commodores, Mendez moved again — this time to Maryland — giving him an opportunity to make an impact in the Big Ten Conference while staying close to home. 

“They’ve always tried to make whatever games they can,” Mendez said. “Being back on the East Coast, it’s a lot more cost-efficient and budget-friendly for them to be able to come, so that’s been amazing to be able to help my family in that way.”

Now, they’re at every home game — and almost every road contest — as Mendez competes with the Dirty Terps. His .362 batting average in conference play leads Maryland and ranks 18th in the Big Ten.

“I’m really just pushing for my guys,” Mendez said. “I’m going out there, doing the little things right for the people around me, and putting the team above myself. I’m making sure we’re going out and competing in every at-bat and doing all the small things on every pitch. Honing in on those things really helps us all out.”

Off the field, Mendez is taking every opportunity to connect with his new teammates. He’s quickly learning that his time in college is moving fast, and he doesn't want to miss a moment to lift up his program and his guys. 

“I’m already a junior, and time has flown by,” Mendez said. “I still feel like a freshman some days. I’m just enjoying the moment while I’m here and soaking up time with the team.”

His closest connection, however, passionately roots from the stands. Maryland is set to face Indiana in a three-game weekend series at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium, and Diego will be there, the most passionate contingent in a troupe watching Mendez live out his collegiate dreams. 

“It’s awesome having my family at games and all of us having those shared experiences,” Mendez said. “At the end of the day, we’re not going to remember the wins and losses. We’re going to remember the shared experiences and the memories we created at the ballpark.”