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Independent Ball

From Indy Ball to Bananaland: Who’s Going Bananas?

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The rise of the Savannah Bananas and Banana Ball is finally being felt across the independent baseball world.

With two expansion teams, a real league structure, a player draft (for both baseball and entertainment talent), and sold-out stadiums nationwide with waitlists in the hundreds of thousands, Banana Ball has started pulling in indy ball talent to bolster its rosters.

As of this writing, 61 Banana Ball players have independent baseball experience across the Atlantic, American Association, Frontier, Pioneer, USPBL, and Pecos leagues.

I’ve been asked more than a few times lately whether I think Banana Ball is hurting indy ball. With players making the switch, it might look that way on the surface.

But honestly? I think it’s helping far more than it’s hurting.

Getting more eyes on baseball—any baseball—is a good thing. Getting kids excited about watching baseball is a good thing. Getting people fired up about the sport again is a good thing.

Any time a Banana Ball player gets mentioned and the conversation turns to their past indy ball experience, that’s another opportunity for fans to learn about baseball outside the major leagues.

In fact, this might be the push indy ball needs to become more of a hot commodity.

Right now, independent baseball is doing a pretty good job of hurting itself. It doesn’t need Banana Ball’s help with that… it needs Banana Ball to help make it better.

With the constant growth and expansion of indy leagues, talent is getting spread thin. These leagues need to establish themselves as true destinations for players who want to keep competing outside of affiliated baseball.

They also need to shake things up for fans—make their stadiums and teams the ticket in town.

Players want to feel seen and to know they are competing in a place where the game matters.

That starts with bringing in the best talent you can find… which means going out and actually finding it. Over the past few years, it feels like too many leagues have just shuffled the same players around. Roster rules that once pushed organizations to bring in younger, hungrier talent have quietly disappeared.

I genuinely believe the indy leagues in this country can field high-caliber rosters filled with college grads and players released early from affiliated ball. They can be competitive and entertaining—maybe not with trick plays or mid-inning TikTok dances, but with real, compelling baseball.

But they have to bring in the players. And to bring in the players, they have to bring in the fans. It all goes hand in hand.

Banana Ball and traditional professional baseball absolutely can coexist. If you want my full thoughts on that, check out my previous article, Purists, Relax. Fun Baseball Isn’t Ruining the Game.

And with that—let’s dive into the list of former independent baseball players who are now adding Bananaland to their baseball journey.

Savannah Bananas

Reese Alexiades – Pioneer (Ogden 2021-2023)

Ryan Cox – Frontier (Washington 2018-2020)

Austin Drury – American Association (Sioux City 2023-2024)

Max Jung – Goldberg – Pioneer (Boise 2024-2025)

Frankie Mosciatiello – Can-Am (Rockland 2018-2019), American Association (Gary 2019), Frontier (Southern Illinois Miners 2019, Quebec 2021-2024), COVID leagues (Washington and New York 2020), Atlantic (Long Island 2021-2022, Charleston 2025)

Party Animals

Tanner Thomas – USPBL (Westside 2022)

Noah Fisher – Frontier (Gateway 2023), Atlantic League (Staten Island 2023)

Reece Hampton – Atlantic (Gastonia 2021-2022)

Bret Helton – American Association (Fargo-Moorhead 2019-2022, Milwaukee 2022)

Garett Delano – American Association (Lincoln 2021-2022)

Jake Skole – Atlantic (Gastonia 2021-2022)

Andy Cosgrove – Frontier (Southern Illinois 2019)

Brady Kais – Pioneer (Glacier 2022), American Association (Lake Country 2022-2024)

Nate Tellier – American Association (Kansas City 2024)

TJ Reeves – Frontier (Florence 2024-2025)

Michael Ballard – Frontier (Florence 2025)

Dylan Porter – Pioneer (Idaho Falls 2025)

Riyan Rodriguez – Pioneer (Grand Junction 2023)

*Jake Lialios – Pecos (Tucson 2020)

Firefighters

Caden Green – Pioneer (Great Falls 2024)

Zachary Bridges – Atlantic (Charleston 2023)

Liam Spence – American Association (Sioux Falls 2024)

Dalton Cornett – Pioneer (Billings 2021), Atlantic (Kentucky 2022)

Ben Dum III – Frontier (Southern Illinois 2019), Atlantic (York 2023)

Eric Jones Jr. – USPBL (Utica 2019), Frontier (Gateway 2021), Atlantic (Gastonia 2022)

Lamar Sparks – Pioneer (Missoula 2022), American Association (Cleburne and Fargo-Moorhead 2025)

Dakota McFadden – COVID (Skylands 2020), Pecos (Bakersfield 2021), USPBL (Birmingham-Bloomfield and Westside 2025)

Tyner Hughes – Pioneer (Boise 2024)

Mason Maxwell – Atlantic (High Point and Staten Island 2024)

*Marshall Shill – Pacific Association (Sonoma 2019), Frontier (Quebec 2021-2022), Pioneer (Ogden 2023)

Texas Tailgaters

Jon Reid – Frontier (Florence 2017 and 2019)

Zach Watson – Atlantic (Lexington 2023)

Jorden Hussein – Frontier (Lake Erie 2022), USPBL (Westside 2023)

Taj Porter – USPBL (East Side and Utica 2023)

Jordan Barth – Pioneer (Billings 2022), American Association (Sioux Falls 2023-2025)

Reese Miller – Pioneer (Northern Colorado 2024, Grand Junction 2025)

Kyle Martin – American Association (Winnipeg 2019-2021, Cleburne 2025), Atlantic (York 2025)

Brett Sanchez – Frontier (Joliet 2024-2025)

Joe Sperone – Atlantic (Staten Island 2024)

Jose Gonzalez – Pioneer (Yolo 2024), American Association (Cleburne 2025)

Jimmy Lewis – Pioneer (Yolo 2024)

Loco Beach Coconuts

Erik Ostberg – American Association (Milwaukee 2024-2025, Fargo-Moorhead 2025)

Dane Tofteland – Frontier (Quebec 2021, Ottaway 2022), Pioneer (Ogden 2023, Rocky Mountain 2024-2025)

Brett Carson – Frontier (Washington 2023), Pioneer (Rocky Mountain 2023, Oakland 2024)

Joe Filomeno – American Association (Kansas City 2018, Fargo-Moorhead 2019)

Grady Morgan – Pioneer (Idaho Falls 2024-2025)

Indianapolis Clowns

Jackie Bradley Jr. (Yes… THAT major league Jackie Bradley Jr.) Atlantic (Long Island 2024)

Correll Prime – American Association (Texas 2019, Fargo-Moorhead 2019 – 2021 and 2023, Milwaukee 2022)

Bobby Lada – Pioneer (Yolo/Yuba-Sutler 2024-2025)

David Griffin – American Associaton (Gary 2019 and 2021), COVID (Washington and Rockland 2020), Atlantic League (Long Island 2024-2025)

Niko Hulsizer – Atlantic (Lancaster 2024)

Joe Gray – Atlantic (Gastonia, Long Island and Gastonia 2024), American (Lake Country and Milwaukee 2025)

Andrew Irvine – Pioneer (Rocky Mountain 2023)

Joe Lytle – Frontier (Evansville 2018, Windy City 2019, Florence 2021-22), Can-Am (Quebec 2019), American (Lincoln 2019)

Daniel Foster – Pioneer (Billings 2025)

Eli Paton – Pioneer (Glacier 2025)

Dayan Reinoso – Pioneer (Great Falls 2024), Frontier (Lake Erie 2025)

Vinny Santarsiero – Frontier (Evansville 2021-2022)

Chris Burgess – American (Gary 2022, Winnipeg 2023), Frontier (Tri-Sity 2024-2025, Trois Rivieres 2025)

Kirkland Banks – Pioneer (Yolo/Yuba-Sutter 2024-2025, Idaho Falls 2025)

Brian Dansereau – Pecos (Sante Fe 2019, Salina 2020), American (Houston 2021), Pioneer (Ogden 2022, Rocky Mountain 2023)

* Denotes “Entertainment” player on roster

Independent Ball

Purists, Relax: Fun Baseball Isn’t Ruining the Game

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Can “Fun” Versions of Baseball Such as Banana Ball and Cosmic Baseball Coexist With the Rest of the Baseball World?

Trust me, I know what the baseball purists are going to say.

Until this summer, I was one of them—skeptical, hesitant, and not entirely convinced that a world of “fun” baseball could actually coexist with traditional baseball.

But this season, I experienced the USPBL’s Real Fun, Real Baseball initiative, Cosmic Baseball, and Banana Ball firsthand.

And my mindset has completely changed.

This is 100% an opinion piece. There won’t be stats or hard facts—just my thoughts and feelings on where “fun” baseball belongs. I know many will disagree, but that doesn’t bother me. All I ask is that you hear me out before making your judgment.

We’ve all heard the criticisms about baseball:

  • “Baseball is boring.”
  • “The games are too long.”
  • “Kids aren’t interested anymore.”
  • “We need to speed things up.”

In response, new “fun” versions of baseball have evolved. But with them came new arguments:

  • “Banana Ball isn’t real baseball.”
  • “It’s just a sideshow.”
  • “It’s all scripted.”

The most common misconception is that the Savannah Bananas are “the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball” and won’t last. I understand the comparison—there’s plenty of entertainment—but it’s not the same.

Banana Ball is its own game, with its own rules. The Bananas (along with the Party Animals, Firefighters, and Texas Tailgaters) never claim otherwise. Their motto is Fans First, and they’re chasing what they believe traditional baseball is missing.

Yes, there’s singing, dancing, and trick plays—all of which take hours of practice—but none of the game itself is scripted. Every Banana Ball game happens play by play, live and unscripted. It’s fast-paced, full of energy, and entertaining, while still being a legitimate game at its core.

Comparisons to the Globetrotters aren’t accurate. Their shows are scripted and repetitive, but Banana Ball is unpredictable. And if the Globetrotters can last nearly 100 years, why can’t Banana Ball last?

Right now, it’s the hottest ticket in sports. Games are affordable (if you’re lucky enough to get through in their ticket lottery), and if you can’t attend in person, every game is streamed for free on YouTube—and even picked up by TV networks, including ESPN.

And let me be clear: these players are ATHLETES. They’re not just performers who learn dances and trick plays—they’re also skilled baseball players. Most have college, independent, or minor league experience. In fact, when the Bananas came to Pittsburgh, there were three former Washington Wild Things on the rosters.

Between Banana Ball and Cosmic Baseball, I knew about 10 players from their indy ball careers.

@kmthomp29

Banana Ball at PNC Park 🫶 #BananaBall #SavannahBananas #TexasTailgaters #Baseball #Pittsburgh

♬ Best Day Ever – Mac Miller

I’ve known these guys for years. I can’t even put into words what it meant to see you guys out there playing the sport you love and enjoying all that this life has to offer you. Because I’ve seen the struggles. I’ve been there through the releases and the signings. I’ve celebrated your successes. And now I get to see it on the biggest stage. I am SO PROUD. It is an honor to follow your journeys and call you my friends. It’s so much more than baseball. What you do on the field is important, but the humans you are and the lives you touch is so much more important.

Cosmic Baseball is new on the scene and shares some similarities with Banana Ball but adds its own twist: bright neon colors under black lights.

Currently featuring two teams—the Cosmic Chili Peppers and the Glomojis—the format mixes tradition and innovation.

The first four innings are played under normal lights but with their own rules (a fan threw out the legitimate first pitch of the game, a young fan drew a reverse Uno card and the players ran to third instead of first after a hit), but the next four are under black lights. Each of those innings ends with a one-on-one home run derby, with runs counting toward the total score. It’s a blast to watch, and there are some serious power hitters involved.

Like the Bananas, Cosmic Baseball begins with a block party. Players mingle with fans, sign autographs, show off hidden talents, and dance. There are concerts (with the players as the band), conga lines, and nonstop energy.

@kmthomp29

Cosmic Takeover Tour Toledo @Cosmic Chili Peppers @Glow Mojis #CosmicBaseball #BaseballBoys #ChiliPeppers #GlowMojis #Baseball

♬ original sound – Kayla Thompson

What stood out the most to me? Players refusing to leave the fans. Even when staff tried to send them back to prepare for the game, many stayed outside, making sure every fan got an autograph or picture. That kind of connection makes the experience personal and unforgettable.

This brings me back to the USPBL’s Real Baseball, Real Fun initiative. Unlike Banana Ball or Cosmic Baseball, the USPBL plays a traditional nine-inning game with standard rules. But they infuse fun and interaction throughout:

  • Players greet fans at the gates.
  • They mingle in the stands and kids’ areas.
  • They sign autographs mid-game when possible.
  • Home run celebrations are creative and unique.

The baseball remains competitive and uncompromised, but the players show personality and engage with fans in ways that traditional pro ball often discourages.

And honestly—that’s where I think baseball as a whole needs to go.

We don’t need to price families out of the ballpark.
We don’t need blackout restrictions.
We don’t need players too distant—or too worried—to engage with fans.

There’s room for Banana Ball, Cosmic Baseball, and Real Baseball, Real Fun alongside Major League Baseball and its affiliates.

The game itself doesn’t need to change.
But the focus on fans first shouldn’t stop with the Bananas.

That’s what’s missing from professional baseball.

I don’t think Banana Ball is going to compromise baseball. I don’t think it is a joke or going to make people dislike the actual sport more. I think it is going to elevate it to where it needs to be.

Last night, I saw 10 kids wearing Savannah Bananas gear at the Wild Things game. Those kids saw a Banana Ball game and then wanted to come to an independent game the very next day.

Lightning in a bottle?

A circus?

Or just a family friendly environment that draws people in?

Major League baseball, their affiliates, and indy ball can all take notes.