Pitcher Jake Bazala’s phone was going bananas Friday night.
“I have been getting hammered with messages,” Bazala said.
The Norwin grad took the next step in his baseball career when he was drafted by the Savannah Bananas, the high-energy barnstorming team that sold out two games last summer in Pittsburgh.
The independent team is all about entertaining fans while staying true to the game. It is baseball’s answer to the Harlem Globetrotters.
Bazala, a Mercyhurst alum, was selected Friday in the 10th round of the first-year Banana Ball Player Draft.
The connection for Bazala, a 6-foot-2 right-hander, happened over the summer when he was contacted by Berry Aldridge, the Bananas’ recruiting coordinator. At the time, Bazala was pitching in the Coastal Plains League.
“He talked about how he wanted me to attend a tryout in Camden, N.J., and how it would be an experience like no other,” Bazala said. “I ended up taking a week off from summer baseball to travel to Camden with my mom for the tryouts. I had a great time dancing, pitching and joking around there, then a few weeks later I was selected to be in the draft.”
Bazala was a fiery player in high school and college with his long, curly red hair and animated expressions, so some might say he is made for the showmanship and fun of the Bananas.
It is too early to tell how much Bazala will play, or what antics he will be up to on the field — choreographed dancing, oddball celebrations, party-like chaos are common — but the former All-PSAC and All-NEC pitcher is eager to connect with the team and make his mark.
“I am honestly very blessed with being able to say I am a Savannah Banana,” Bazala said. “It was a surreal experience with the coaching staff before I got drafted. I couldn’t be more excited to get my future started down in Savannah.”
Bazala began his final college season at Mercyhurst, which was bumped up to a Division I program last year, before moving into the No. 2 spot in the starting rotation. He finished third in the NEC with 85 strikeouts and was 7-4.
He was 18-11 with a career ERA of 3.64.
Player salaries are not made public, so Bazala’s pay is unclear.
The draft process included fan voting to retain players from the four teams in the Banana Ball Championship League — the Bananas, Party Animals, Firefighters and Texas Tailgaters.
Two expansion teams were added in the Coconuts and Clowns.
Coaches then chose to franchise additional players, whereas the draft opened to remaining players and others from tryouts, college and professional leagues.
⚾️BIG RED SHUTS THE DOOR⚾️
Jake Bazala strikes out 7 batters in 3 innings to slam the door, and pick up the first ever home-win for the D1 @HurstBaseball ☘️ pic.twitter.com/9VIPj8Y4fa
— Tim Quinn (@Tim14Quinn) March 7, 2025
