Meet the Savannah Bananas before they take over Citizens Bank Park

The Savannah Bananas are different from almost any other baseball team. If you’ve been to a Phillies game, cool. Erase everything you know. Now imagine there are stilts, fireballs, and choreographed dances — because there are. Before they face the Party Animals at Citizens Bank Park, meet the players behind the tricks ...

Kyle Luigs, pitcher

Luigs joined the Bananas in 2018, when they were in the Coastal Plain League, and throws a mean heater — literally. In 2023, he stepped up to the mound, and with some help from his teammate, lit the baseball on fire before tossing a strike.

Dalton Mauldin, infielder

Mauldin is from Nashville, and he’s bringing Music City to the Savannah Bananas. The infielder is known to serenade fans for his walk-up song. He joined the Bananas for the beginning of the 2022 Banana Ball World Tour.

Dakota 'Stilts' Albritton, utility

You can spot Albritton from the nosebleeds. Albritton learned to walk on stilts at 9 years old and brought the skill to the Bananas when he joined in 2021. Hitting, running, playing the field, he does it all … on stilts.

Ryan Kellogg, pitcher

Kellogg was drafted by the Cubs in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB draft. The Ontario native joined the Bananas midway through 2023 and brought over some hockey skills like pitching with a hockey stick and treating the ball like a puck.

Ryan Cox, infielder

Cox started playing with the Bananas in the 2022 Summer Series. The infielder is known as the glove magician — he’s the first player in Banana ball history with 100 trick plays. Keep an eye on some under-the-leg and behind-the-back throws.

Danny Hosley, utility

Hosley joined the Bananas during the 2023 Banana Ball World Tour. He once played all nine positions in one inning — starting as catcher and finishing as pitcher. Fun fact: Hosley also is a certified EMT.

Alex Ziegler, extra hitter

The Bananas aren’t Ziegler’s first claim to fame. The Pennsylvania native was known for creating bat trick content on YouTube and TikTok. He even made an appearance on You Bet Your Life with Jay Leno.

Ethan Skuija, pitcher

Skuija is from Arlington, Wash., and played professionally in Australia, Japan, and the Czech Republic. Before joining the Bananas in 2024, he played with their rivals, the Party Animals, during the 2023 Banana Ball World Tour.

DJ 'The Invader' Roberts, pitcher

It’ll be easy to recognize Roberts on the field (hint: he’s the one with the space helmet). The Florida native joined the Bananas at the start of the 2023 Banana Ball World Tour. How does he manage to play with that on? We don’t know.

RobertAnthony Cruz, infielder

Before Cruz joined the Bananas in 2024, he signed as a free agent with the Washington Nationals in 2021 and played for their Florida Complex League team. With the Bananas, Cruz is known for his fun backflip catches.

Reese 'Superman' Alexiades, outfielder

Alexiades joined the Bananas in 2024. Before this, he spent three seasons playing independent baseball with the Ogden Raptors in the Pioneer League. To live up to the nickname, the outfielder wears a cape while batting.

Bill Leroy, catcher

Leroy joined in 2018, and in 2023 had one of the most iconic moments of the season. He made an Aladdin-themed entrance from the crowd to the song “Friend Like Me” and followed that with the game-winning run. 

More Savannah Bananas players

Some others you may see on the field are Eric Jones, D.R. Meadows, Michael Deeb, Jackson Olson, Brandon Crosby (pictured), Dan Oberst, Jared Donalson, Austin Krzeminski, Andy Archer, Zack Phillips, Noah Niznik, and Malachi Mitchell.

Their opponents: the Party Animals

The Bananas will play the Party Animals, who have quite a few former MLB draft picks — including Jake Skole (pictured), who was the 15th pick in the 2010 draft, Connor Higgins (drafted in 2018), Bret Helton (2015), and Reece Hampton (2018).