Meet the Second Overall Pick In the Banana Ball Draft

Star pitcher Drake Fontenot is excited to join one of the newest teams in Banana Ball!

May 7, 2024; Oxford, AL, USA; Delta State’s pitcher Drake Fontenot (28) throws a pitch during the GSC Baseball Tournament at Choccolocco Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Schwab-Imagn Images / Kyle Schwab-Imagn Images

On November 13 and 14, Banana Ball held a player draft. This marks the beginning of the Banana Ball Championship League. Two new teams were added to the league to bring the total to six. The Indianapolis Clowns and the Loco Beach Coconuts will join the Texas Tailgaters, Firefighters, Party Animals and Savannah Bananas in the league. The draft was a huge success, with fans excited to see what next year has in store!

Drake Fontenot was the second overall pick in this year's draft. He was selected by the Loco Beach Coconuts. This was an exciting reunion for Fontenot. He was a star pitcher in this year's Visitors team (a Banana Ball developmental team) and was coached by Mark Crocco. Crocco is now the head coach of the Coconuts and drafted Fontenot! Selecting Fontenot so high in the draft shows the trust that Crocco has in him and his desire to build his team around a solid starting pitcher.

I was able to sit down and chat for a few minutes with Fontenot about his experience being drafted. One of the things he touched on was his experience with the Visitors!

View this post on Instagram

Fontenot played for Delta State University and was the 2025 pitcher of the year in the Gulf South Conference. In 2025 he had an ERA of 2.50 and 86 strikeouts. He is a very talented pitcher and is going to do very well in the Banana Ball Championship League! His impressive season is what helped him get noticed and eventually invited to play for the Visitors.

This draft marks a change in Banana Ball. The talent level has never been higher. It will be fascinating to see how all of these new players fit into their teams. I am really excited to see how these players are able to combine their baseball talents with trick plays, entertainment and "fans first" moments. I can't wait for the season to start!

If you want to check out my full interview with Drake Fontenot then check out the video below! And if you want to stay up to date on all things Banana Ball then make sure to subscribe to the Banana Breakdown Podcast!

More Banana Ball

feed