Ian Jackson couldn’t remember the last time he picked up a baseball.
Ruben Prey had never worn a glove before.
But neither St. John’s player was interested in creating a viral moment and pulling a 50 Cent. Not only did they avoid that, but they combined for an impressive ceremonial first pitch ahead of the Mets’ 4-2 win over the Marlins on Thursday night at Citi Field.
Jackson threw a strike, and Prey caught it.
“I didn’t want to be embarrassed, man. I want to be good at everything I do,” the beaming Jackson, wearing a No. 11 Mets jersey, said afterward. “I heard 50 Cent wasn’t the best. I wasn’t going to do that. It was fun. I have adrenaline built up right now.”
Jackson, a Bronx native and admitted Yankees fan, is the third St. John’s player to throw out a first pitch before a Mets game, following Zuby Ejiofor and Dylan Darling.
He probably threw the best one. Because of a rain delay, the two were able to get in a few warm-up throws, which helped.
When he was approached about the idea, the 6-foot-11 Prey thought to himself: “Awesome. … It’s going to be a fun experience.”
The Johnnies’ new-look roster was on hand, hosted by the Mets. Under Rick Pitino, St. John’s has become a major brand in the area.
“It’s great, especially being from New York,” Jackson said. “Kind of build something great here at home. It’s amazing to be a part of that.”
There are high hopes for the Johnnies after winning back-to-back Big East regular-season and postseason titles.
They advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 27 years last March.
There are a host of new faces, such as top transfer Tounde Yessoufou of Baylor and highly regarded international additions Quinn Ellis and Babacar Sane. Most experts have St. John’s penciled in as a top 15 team in the preseason.
Jackson and Prey will be integral. The rising juniors are projected starters and returning players who will be given a far bigger role next year and know what Pitino expects out of them.
