The San Francisco 49ers’ decision to hire John Lynch has brought plenty of discussion about his football career. He was one of the best safeties in the game, and recently was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His time in the NFL will serve him well as he begins the process of rebuilding the franchise.
However, he also has some history in baseball. While playing college football at Stanford, he was a pitcher on the side. Lynch spent four years at Stanford, and while he was most known for his football career, he got in three seasons of work with the baseball team. According to Phil Barber, in three seasons, Lynch hit .244 in 164 at-bats, with six home runs, 29 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases. He also three 19 2⁄3 innings as a pitcher, going 1-2 with an 8.22 ERA, 24 strikeouts, and 19 walks.
The Florida Marlins made him a second round pick of the 1992 MLB amateur draft, and he is credited with throwing the first official pitch in Florida Marlins organizational history. Barber found the video above. There is a brief sighting of Lynch on their draft board, and then at the 5:30 mark you can watch him go out and throw the first pitch.
Lynch lasted two years in the minors, pitching for Erie in low A, and Kane County in A ball. You can check out his stats at Baseball Reference.