Sunday Night Baseball announcer Jessica Mendoza is joining the New York Mets as an adviser while continuing her ESPN responsibilities, the team announced Tuesday.
Mendoza will work in the Mets' baseball operations department, focusing on player evalution, roster construction, technological advancement, and health and performance. She will also give insight to general manager Brodie Van Wagenen.
"Jessica is incredibly well respected throughout the industry and we are excited to bring her into the organization," Van Wagenen said in a statement. "She is a world-class athlete and experienced television analyst with an extremely high baseball IQ. We are confident that she will help us in our efforts to win now and in the future. This hire demonstrates the continued support from ownership to invest in the intellectual capital of the New York Mets."
Since 2007, Mendoza has contributed to ESPN's baseball, softball and college football coverage. She became the first female analyst for a Major League Baseball playoff game in 2015.
"There are numerous examples across networks of these type of arrangements where commentators work closely with teams, and we will be fully transparent about Jessica's relationship with the Mets," ESPN said in a statement. "We have complete faith in her ability as a leading MLB voice for ESPN."
A two-time Olympian with the U.S. women's softball team, Mendoza won a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Games and a silver medal in Beijing in 2008.
"I am excited to work with Brodie and his team and am thrilled to be associated with the Mets and their storied history," said Mendoza via statement. "I've known Brodie and Jeff Wilpon for years now and I'm honored to be a small part of the organization. I would also like to thank ESPN and Disney for their understanding and confidence as I balance both tasks moving forward. Baseball is a passion of mine and I look forward to expanding on my love for the game."