Banana Ball just made its biggest player acquisition in the league’s history.
MLB World Series champion and former Boston Red Sox All-Star Jackie Bradley Jr. was the No. 1 overall pick in the inaugural Banana Ball Draft on Thursday, joining the Indianapolis Clowns.
Bradley, who last played in MLB for the Kansas City Royals in 2023, said he decided earlier this week to join Banana Ball. He is the first ex-MLB player to commit to playing in the league full-time.
The former Gold Glove Award-winning outfielder made his Banana Ball debut in July during a game at Fenway Park, the historic home of the Red Sox.
More than 100 current or former MLB players have participated in Banana Ball games in recent years, league founder Jesse Cole said in an Instagram video announcing Bradley.
The Clowns, Bradley’s new team, was added to the Banana Ball league in October. The franchise, which disbanded in 1989, has history dating back nearly a century, when it played 12 seasons in the Negro Leagues from 1943-54.
The Clowns were the Negro Leagues’ version of the exhibition basketball team Harlem Globetrotters, and the team “excelled as ballplayers and comedic geniuses,” per MLB.com. MLB legend Hank Aaron signed his first professional baseball contract with the Clowns in 1953 for $200 per month.
Bradley said he’s looking forward to embracing the Clowns’ rich history.
“I feel like this was another opportunity to not only the league, but to be able to help the people behind me to … hopefully, catapult other African American ballplayers to want to play the game,” Bradley told ESPN.
Despite joining the Clowns and Banana Ball, Bradley said he hasn’t ruled out a return to MLB if the opportunity arises.
“If there’s an opportunity [to go back to the majors], I would obviously weigh that,” he said. “If that’s for my family, then I’m not going to rule out any opportunities. But it’s not something that I’m striving for. I’m very content with how my career has unfolded. I’ve been truly blessed. I’m just enjoying the moment.”
Bradley played 12 seasons in MLB for the Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays and Royals from 2013-23. He earned his lone career All-Star selection in 2016 with Boston, and helped lead the Red Sox to winning the World Series in 2018. He also earned a Gold Glove Award that same season.
For his MLB career, Bradley hit .225 with 109 home runs, 449 RBI and a .684 OPS in 1,181 games.
Banana Ball returns to Cleveland from Sept. 25-26, 2026, at the Cleveland Guardians’ home Progressive Field.
“Bradley going to Banana Ball begs a couple of questions,” said Marc Bona, a features writer for cleveland.com / The Plain Dealer who has written four books on sports. “Can this be the start of a trend? And equally important, how will a career .225 hitter do with all the zaniness around him?”
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