After a painful NCAA exit, FSU pitcher Wes Mendes is back with an edge, a lesson learned and something to prove.
Wes Mendes has lived both extremes on college baseball’s biggest stage.
In the span of one week during Florida State baseball's 2025 NCAA Tournament run, the left-hander delivered the performance of his career — and then one he would rather forget. Now, entering his junior season, Mendes is using that contrast as motivation as the Seminoles prepare to open the season in two weeks against James Madison.
On June 1, Mendes was dominant while helping FSU clinch the Tallahassee Regional. He struck out nine and allowed two runs over eight innings against Mississippi State.
A week later, with the Seminoles one win from advancing to Omaha, Mendes lasted just ⅓ of an inning in the Super Regional opener at Oregon State. He surrendered five hits, two home runs and seven runs in the first inning, a loss that ultimately ended FSU’s season.
It was the last time Mendes took the mound in 2025.
“It is what it is,” Mendes said.
“You learn from it. You move on and use it as fuel for this year. Just get better. It’s another year. It’s a new year. Second year starting, so just looking to improve on it really.”
Consistency a priority for Wes Mendes
Mendes spent the offseason focused on eliminating the swings that defined his sophomore season. He said inconsistency — not stuff — was the biggest hurdle he wants to clear as a junior.
“There were a couple of times last year, like it was just ebbs and flows,” Mendes said.
“Big peaks and some low points. So it’s really just about being more consistent. I’d have a big blow-up inning, for example. It’s just about staying good, staying mild.”
Mendes finished 7-3 in 16 starts last season. In 78 innings, he allowed 48 runs — 47 earned — on 70 hits with 90 strikeouts. He credited his growth in part to his relationship with pitching coach Micah Posey, whom he joined after transferring from Ole Miss two years ago.
“It definitely grows just being with him, talking more,” Mendes said.
“It’s different coming in as a transfer and not talking to him through high school. You grow as you interact more. It’s been a fun relationship, and it’s going to be a good year.”
Posey said Mendes has shown tangible improvement since the season-ending loss. He noted Mendes looks cleaner mechanically and more consistent with his arsenal, topping out at 94–95 mph during bullpen sessions.
“It definitely fueled him,” Posey said.
“Anytime your season ends like that, it sits with you. You have to move past it, but also use it to help you moving forward. For Wes, he’s matured through that. He’s improved, and you can tell he’s got something to prove. He’s got a little edge to him.”
Wes Mendes learns from Jamie Arnold, Excited about FSU's pitching staff
Mendes also leaned on lessons from former FSU ace Jamie Arnold, who was selected 11th overall by the Oakland Athletics in the 2025 MLB Draft. Mendes said Arnold’s ability to remain composed, even when things unraveled, left a lasting impression.
“When anything is going wrong, he’s not phased by it,” Mendes said.
“He just puts his head down and keeps going pitch by pitch. That’s the main thing I took from him, and I’m going to keep bringing it into this year.”
FSU's pitching staff will look different in 2026. Arnold and Joe Volini are gone, but newcomers Trey Beard, Cole Stokes and Brodie Purcell join a returning group that includes John Abraham, Ben Barrett and Payton Manca.
For Mendes, the challenge — and opportunity — is clear.
“I’m really excited to see what we do against live batters,” he said. “I’m excited for sure.”
After a season that ended in heartbreak, Mendes will have his first chance to prove that the lessons stuck when FSU takes the field again.
How to watch FSU baseball's season opener vs. James Madison
- Date: Friday, Feb. 13
- Time: 5 p.m.
- Where: Dick Howser Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
- TV: N/A
- Radio: Seminoles.com
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at [email protected] or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU baseball's Wes Mendes uses NCAA tournament heartbreak to fuel 2026
Category: General Sports
