Garrett Wilson kicked off the New York Mets game while wearing the jersey of his childhood friend
On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Phillies took on the New York Mets at Citi Field. Throwing out the first pitch of the game was none other than New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson – sporting Mets third baseman Brett Baty’s jersey. All things considered, Wilson’s first pitch was better than many thrown by other athletes.
.@GarrettWilson_V throws out the first pitch to Brett Baty! ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/pg36uDwylR
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) May 31, 2023
Catching the first pitch from the Jets’ second-year wide receiver was Baty, who sported Wilson’s No. 17 jersey. For those who aren’t aware, Wilson and Baty are close friends. The two grew up together, playing on the same Pop Warner team in Lake Travis, Texas. The duo continued that bond throughout high school and remain close friends to this day.
Brett Baty and Garrett Wilson, childhood football teammates in Texas, hope to succeed together in New York (via @AnthonyMcCarron) https://t.co/crzwyDwPLz pic.twitter.com/3UswAJOdC9
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 5, 2022
Jets fans can thank the Mets’ third baseman for Wilson’s position change to wide receiver. According to the second-year wide receiver, Baty’s arm talent made Wilson re-think his aspirations of playing quarterback and make the full-time position change to a pass catcher.
This year, both players find themselves under the spotlight.
After starting the year in Triple-A ball, Baty found a role in the Mets this year. The 23-year-old has already played a career-high 35 games in the major leagues, playing in over half of the Mets’ games this season.
Meanwhile, Garrett Wilson will look to expand on a rookie season that saw him take home the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Wilson was the Jets’ first offensive player to win the award, and the only offensive rookie to even receive a vote for the award since 1996. Now, the 22-year-old finds himself catching passes from future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers.
While the two friends from Texas have traversed very different career paths, those paths have led them to the same city, and it’s evident that the duo continue to support each other.
