Yankees’ Luke Weaver recalls Giants QB Jameis Winston, as his college baseball teammate

NEW YORK – At a time when he quarterbacked Florida State to a national championship, Jameis Winston was also a pretty good closer on the Seminoles baseball team.

And the Yankees’ Luke Weaver – a starter back then – had a unique vantage as Winston’s teammate.

“He had the tools and the ability to give (baseball) a shot,’’ said Weaver, recalling their 2013-14 seasons together. “I mean, I know how hard it is for all the guys who sit there in Triple-A and hope to’’ make the majors.

“But he threw the ball hard, had a mid-90s fastball, developed a nice slider. He certainly had success when he came into the back end of games, helping us steal some wins.’’

Signed by the New York Giants to a two-year, $8 million deal last month, it’s still a guess as to how much Winston might contribute to Big Blue.

The Giants also signed another veteran QB with a baseball background, Russell Wilson, and how they’re approaching this year’s NFL Draft has been a huge story.

Luke Weaver recalls Florida State baseball days with Jameis Winston

But if Winston gets to unleash his swashbuckling style at MetLife Stadium, Weaver feels “it should be fun’’ for Giants fans.

“It’s so funny, when I watch him scramble on the football field, it reminds me of him on the bases,’’ said Weaver, recalling Winston getting in frequent rundown plays (he was also a switch-hitting outfielder).

“He had a knack for finding a way for the ball to the thrown away and somehow be safe,’’ said Weaver, adding that Winston “cared a lot’’ about being all-in on the diamond.

Winston even gave “a few dugout hype speeches in mid-game,’’ said Weaver. “That was the football side of him, huddling us up and motivating us.’’

Before being taken first overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2015 NFL Draft, Winston was chosen in the 15th round by the Texas Rangers in the 2012 MLB Draft.

By 2014, Winston fashioned a 1.08 ERA with seven saves and a sparkling 0.750 WHIP in 24 games as the Seminoles closer.

Jameis Winston’s ‘commitment’ to baseball in college

Winston told NFL columnist Peter King that it was always his dream to play both football and baseball as a pro, but the Bucs stipulated that by making Winston the No. 1 overall pick, he’d forego baseball.

“I just remember him always being a team player and (that baseball) meant a lot to him,’’ said Weaver, recalling a night when Winston had a spring practice at Tallahassee but still made it to Miami that night and pitched against the Hurricanes.

“The commitment was there to do both,’’ said Weaver, also a first round (MLB) pick (St. Louis Cardinals, 27^th overall) in 2014 and key figure in the Yankees’ bullpen.

On Wednesday afternoon at Cleveland, Weaver gave up three long fly balls – saved by center fielder Cody Bellinger’s terrific catch to end it, preserving his 0.00 ERA through his first 11 games of 2025.

“We should ultimately have more of that positivity,’’ Weaver said of a trait that dates back to his college days. “If you keep a positive mindset, I feel like you have a better chance of not having a negative outcome.’’

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