Jacob Bazala gets drafted by the Savanah Bananas
The Savannah Bananas Have Swept the Country, Bringing Excitement to Baseball Fans
One local baseball player with a diverse background away from the diamond is set to join the popular team after being selected by the Bananas in their draft last weekend.
Since he first started playing baseball, Jacob Bazala has dreamed of wearing a jersey on a professional field.
With four years of college baseball complete, the Westmoreland County native waited to hear his name called in the MLB draft—a call that never came.
He did, however, receive a text—just not the one he was expecting.
“I mean, it was definitely a surreal moment. When I got picked, you know, it was kind of a dream I didn’t know I had.”
The text was from the director of recruiting for the Savannah Bananas, asking Bazala to come to Camden, New Jersey, for a tryout.
“I was dancing, laughing around with a lot of people and got through two innings and did really well. Got to meet some of the coaches, and I mean, that moment right there was an experience like I’ve never had.”
Bazala took the chance and showcased his baseball ability. The 22-year-old also delivered another skill evaluators may not have expected.
“I actually grew up dancing at my mother’s dance school—danced for eight years—so I’ve got a little bit of a dancing background. Then in high school, I did show choir and theater, so I’ve got a little bit of that as well.”
The dominant pitcher with a wide range of pitches also has variety in his dance game.
“I did it all—I mean ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop. I was kind of a kid that was in everything. It was a lot of fun.”
While Bazala shelved his dance moves at 14 to pursue baseball, he can now dust them off to join a new take on the game sweeping the country.
“The thought of being in a stadium playing in front of a lot of fans and having a lot of fun with it instead of worrying about, you know, ‘How am I doing?’ I think it’s gonna be a really unique experience.”