Savannah Bananas On SI

Franklin’s Fire Powers Firefighters to Big Week on Banana Ball Tour

Player of the Week. Trick Play King. This Firefighter is on fire.

Jacobo Garrido

The Savannah Bananas' Party Animals team will face off against the Firefighters as part of the 2025 Banana Ball World Tour in Grand Rapids, on June 12th.
The Savannah Bananas' Party Animals team will face off against the Firefighters as part of the 2025 Banana Ball World Tour in Grand Rapids, on June 12th. / Adam Vander Kooy/Holland Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BALTIMORE — Ron Franklin II, an explosive outfielder with a knack for the clutch, has been named Player of the Week on the Banana Ball circuit after a scorching performance for the Firefighters.

Franklin went 4-for-7 at the plate over two games, flashing his power with two doubles, a towering home run, and adding two crucial Trick Play Outs (TPOs) that turned the tide for the Firefighters in a tight contest against the Party Animals.

In Banana Ball the high-octane, no-time limit version of baseball designed for speed, chaos, and fan first entertainment Franklin has emerged as both a crowd favorite and a dependable force in the Firefighters lineup. This past week, he embodied the very spirit of the game: energetic, unorthodox, and relentless.

The Firefighters, one of the new touring teams formed to face the legendary Savannah Bananas and their wild-card opponents, have had their ups and downs this season. But Franklin’s breakout week has helped keep them in playoff contention as Banana Ball nears its fall push.

What separates Franklin from others isn’t just his stats, but how he plays the game. He’s become known for his electric entrances, swagger heavy celebrations, and ability to switch from showman to shut down defender in a blink. The former college standout has adjusted seamlessly to the creative chaos of Banana Ball and has quickly become a cornerstone of the Firefighters roster.

For now, Ron Franklin II’s performance has earned him more than just a stat sheet shout-out it's putting the rest of the league on notice.

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Jacobo Garrido
JACOBO GARRIDO

Jacobo Garrido is a graduate of California State University, Long Beach, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism with a focus on multimedia and broadcast reporting. During his time at CSULB, he worked as a field reporter for Dig en Español magazine, covering topics impacting the Latino community in Long Beach and surrounding areas. He also reported and produced campus news content, gaining hands-on experience in writing, editing, and on-camera storytelling. After graduating, Jacobo served as the national news correspondent for L28 News for over three years, where he wrote, shot, and edited weekly news segments covering major stories across the country. His experience spans live sports coverage, community profiles, and digital-first storytelling, with a passion for sharing stories that reflect and connect with diverse audiences.

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