The Ambidextrous Ace: An Interview with MLB Trailblazer Pat Venditte

Grab a barstool and your beverage of choice, because this week on the JBW podcast, we were joined by a true baseball trailblazer: former major league pitcher Pat Venditte. As the most prominent ambidextrous pitcher in baseball history, Pat’s journey to the big leagues is completely one-of-a-kind and a true testament to working hard to reach your goals.

During his time with the JBW crew, Pat opened up about his unique mechanics, his grueling minor league grind, and the hilarious origins of the "Pat Venditte Rule."

Developing the Dual-Armed Delivery

While switching arms on the mound looks seamless, Pat admitted it was far from a natural gift.

"I'm a natural right-hander and I really cannot do anything left-handed naturally in life," Pat explained. The ability to throw from the left side was something his dad started working on with him at a young age, and it took a very long time to develop.

It wasn't until Pat was a sophomore in college that he really started to find true success. Dropping down sidearm as a lefty allowed him to spin a slider effectively. Pat noted that finding the mechanical advantage of going right-on-right and left-on-left was essential; without it, he wouldn't have even had a minor league career, let alone reach the big leagues. The hard work put him on a path that would lead to baseball's grandest stage. 

The Origins of the "Pat Venditte Rule"

You know you have made an impact on the sport when Major League Baseball literally has to write a rule just for you. The famous standoff that led to the creation of the rule happened during Pat's very first professional outing on Coney Island against the Brooklyn Cyclones. 

Because there was no rule in place dictating what a switch-pitcher should do against a switch-hitter, his coach told him to just keep switching arms back and forth until the batter finally made a decision.

The surreal moment was caught on live TV purely by chance. A Mets game had been rained out that night, which prompted the SNY broadcast to pick up the minor league feed. "Otherwise, nobody would have ever seen that," Pat laughed. The very next day, the official ruling came down, dictating that Pat had to declare his throwing arm first before the batter stepped into the box.

This was a moment when the JBW team discussed with Pat, as it seemed backwards. Why should the only pitcher that can throw from either side be the one that dictates how a switch hitter should declare which side of the plate they hit from? Jason Lyons joked that they only make special rules for people named Ohtani in the MLB. Which the team clearly got a great laugh from. 

A One-of-One Custom Glove

Handling two different throwing arms requires special equipment. While Pat used a custom six-finger glove to pitch, he showed the JBW crew a completely different piece of equipment: a two-handed first baseman's mitt.

During high school, his dad reached out to Mizuno to see if they could craft a dual-handed mitt. The idea was to allow Pat to play first base one way during a game and then pitch the other way to give his primary arm a rest. "This is a one-of-one in the world here," Pat revealed while showing off the incredible Japanese craftsmanship. He has a true one of a kind 1st basemans glove in his collection that is a six-finger model. 

Pat's passion for all gloves was on full display as he showed off his fine leather on our broadcast.

The Seven-Year Minor League Grind and Major League Resume

Reaching the majors is a dream for many young athletes, and Pat's story is a testament to absolute perseverance. For the youth players out there, like the kids on Jason's North Shore Twins team, Pat's advice was simple: "The biggest thing is just sticking with it".

Pat was a walk-on in college and wasn't highly touted coming out of high school. After being drafted in 2008, he put in a grueling seven-year journey through the minor leagues before finally making his major league debut in 2015.

Once he finally cracked the majors, Pat proved his ambidextrous approach could get outs at the highest level. Over his career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and the Miami Marlins. His time in Toronto still resonates with Jays fans, and his ability to jump between both sides of the rubber made him a fascinating asset out of the bullpen wherever he went.

Honoring a Legacy: The Graditude Baseball Camp

At the end of the episode, Pat took the opportunity to discuss an amazing youth baseball project built in honor of a friend in the baseball community. Chris Gradoville was a tremendous teammate and friend who was tragically called to the Field of Dreams far before his time. To continue the legacy of a man who embodied all that is great in the world and the game, the Chris Gradoville Graditude Camp was established.

Now in its fifth year, the camp is held in Omaha, Nebraska. Pat, alongside other former major leaguers and coaches, helps run the camp to teach young athletes the fundamentals of the game while instilling the hustle, heart, and respect that Chris possessed.

If you are in the Omaha area, this is an incredible camp for your youth athletes to work hard at their craft. If you are unable to attend but would like to help this great cause in honor of a wonderful human being, to contribute or sign up.

Signups and donations to this wonderful establishment can be found here - Click Here

Banana Ball, Cosmic Baseball, and the Next Generation

While his MLB career is in the books, Pat's involvement in the sport is arguably more fun than ever. If there is a viral, trailblazing baseball movement happening today, Pat is right in the middle of it.

He recently took the mound in Miami for the Savannah Bananas, embracing the fast-paced, highly entertaining spectacle of "Banana Ball," where they rolled out the red carpet for him and his family. Not stopping there, Pat has also been involved with the viral sensation of Cosmic Baseball, pitching under the glow of UV lights during their Takeover Tour in Omaha. The sheer entertainment value of these new formats perfectly aligns with the unique joy Pat has always brought to the game.

Now, Pat is taking all that experience, from the minor league grind to the major leagues and beyond, and passing it down. He is currently coaching youth baseball players, helping mold the next generation of athletes. It is an incredible next chapter for one of the game's true unicorns and an incredible human being.