Former Belhaven Baseball Player Begins Career in Banana Ball League
JACKSON, Miss. (March 5, 2026) - After a record-breaking career at Belhaven University, award-winning pitcher Brett Sanchez has begun his professional baseball career with the Banana Ball league’s Texas Tailgaters.
Banana Ball brings together skilled professionals from around the country, allowing former rivals to play on the same team and former teammates to compete head-to-head. What attracts fans most is the blend of competition and skill with high energy, unpredictability and entertainment.
A typical Banana Ball game features trick plays and stunts, choreographed dances, energetic walk-ups, viral celebrations and quirky on-field rules that keep fans engaged and part of the experience.
After closing out the Blazers’ 2024 season, Sanchez began his professional career with the Frontier League team, the Joliet Slammers, from May to September 2024 before briefly stepping away for a dedicated 2025 season with the Visitors, a Banana Ball training team.
Sanchez returned to the Slammers for one final season before entering the Banana Ball Draft and beginning a waiting period that would determine his future in the league. “You just had to sit around and wait,” Sanchez said. “It was the most stressed I had ever been in baseball, but since playing for the Visitors, I truly knew I wanted to play Banana Ball.”
One of Sanchez’s biggest aspirations is to become one of the league’s leading pitchers in trick plays, theatrical plays designed to disrupt the flow of the game. Notable trick pitches include 360-degree spin pitches and behind-the-back pitches. On average, Sanchez spends about three hours a week perfecting popular trick plays and creating his own, demonstrating his dedication and focus.
It was clear to Sanchez’s former teammates that he was born to entertain. “It was obvious Brett was destined for Banana Ball,” said fellow Belhaven alum and former teammate Eli Britt. “He always created a light and humorous atmosphere with some kind of joke or action. When most players would hang out to the side and catch up, Brett was on the mound practicing tricks. Everyone knew this was what Brett was going to be doing for a living.”
Sanchez now pitches for one of the newest Banana Ball teams, the Texas Tailgaters. A typical day includes early morning stretches, training, team meals and meetings with media professionals to pitch ideas for the entertainment-focused brand.
Only one word could encapsulate what baseball has done for Sanchez: “everything.” Baseball has brought him new friends and family, opened his eyes to new experiences, led him to travel the country and helped him plan his future in baseball and in life.
Sanchez, a native of Slidell, Louisiana, began playing baseball at age 3. From humble beginnings to MLB stadiums, he has made his mark on the field. During his time at Belhaven, he raised the bar for Division III pitchers by earning several honors, including DIII All-Region First Team, second-team All-American and DIII National Pitcher of the Year, while leading the program in all-time wins, shutouts and career strikeouts. Sanchez was also recognized as a finalist for the Boo Ferriss Trophy, awarded annually to the top collegiate baseball player in Mississippi, in both 2022 and 2024.
Although Sanchez’s love for baseball began long before Belhaven, the program will always be where his professional journey took shape. “If it wasn’t for baseball, I probably wouldn’t have even gone to college because I didn’t have the money for it,” Sanchez said. “I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in now if it weren’t for Belhaven. I’m honored.”