The energy is different when the pink and black take the field. You've seen the clips on TikTok—the backflips, the fire-breathing pitchers, the absolute chaos that makes a standard MLB game look like a library study session. But as the 2026 Banana Ball Championship League (BBCL) kicks off, the party animals baseball roster isn't just about the entertainment anymore. It’s about a squad built to defend a legacy. With two new expansion teams—the Indianapolis Clowns and the Loco Beach Coconuts—trying to eat their lunch, the Party Animals had to get serious about who stayed and who went during the inaugural draft.
Honestly, the roster shakeup was a bit of a rollercoaster for the fans. You can’t just replace a guy like Armando Becerra without people getting a little loud about it. He’s gone to the Firefighters now. That hurts. But the core? The core is still very much intact, and it’s arguably the most athletic group Jesse Cole has ever put together.
The Franchise Pillars: Who They Kept
Before the draft even started, the Party Animals got to protect a handful of "Franchise Players." These are the guys the team basically refused to live without. We're talking about the faces of the franchise.
Tanner Thomas and Noah Fisher were absolute no-brainers for the fan vote. Fisher, known affectionately as "Fish," is basically the heartbeat of the dugout. If he isn’t hitting a gap, he’s orchestrating a dance routine that shouldn't be physically possible for a middle infielder. Joining them is Andy Cosgrove, a catcher who handles a pitching staff of "absolute headcases" with the kind of calm you usually only see in a yoga instructor.
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Then you have the guys the coaches picked to stay:
- Chase Achuff: The infielder who defines "clutch."
- Jason Swan: Pure power and even more personality.
- Reese Hampton: They call him "Reese Lightning" for a reason. Watching him track balls in center field is worth the price of admission alone.
- Jake Skole: A veteran presence who keeps the young guys from spiraling when the trick plays go south.
The pitching staff they retained is, frankly, terrifying. Bret Helton, Garrett Delano, and Drew Gillespie are all back. Helton, in particular, has this habit of not allowing runs in the biggest moments possible. He's a "madman" on the mound, and that's exactly what this team needs.
New Blood and Draft Steals
The 2026 draft was where things got interesting. Since the league expanded to six teams, the talent pool got stretched thin, but the Animals played it smart. They focused on chemistry over just raw stats.
One of the biggest wins was bringing back Peter Holden. He’s a left-handed pitcher who posted a 120 ERA+ last season. He knows the system. He knows the vibes. More importantly, he knows how to pitch while a mascot is doing a headstand behind him.
They also snagged Dustin Baber in the draft. If you haven't seen Baber, he's the "Beer Chugging Irishman." He ranks second all-time in trick plays. Is he a great infielder? Yes. Is he a world-class entertainer? Absolutely. That’s the balance this party animals baseball roster thrives on. You can't just be a ballplayer; you have to be a performer.
The Full 2026 Roster Breakdown (The Main Crew)
- Catchers: Andy Cosgrove, Bronson Balholm.
- Infielders: Noah Fisher, Chase Achuff, Jason Swan, Dustin Baber, Bryson Bloomer, Michael Ballard.
- Outfielders: Tanner Thomas, Reese Hampton, Jake Skole, TJ Reeves.
- Pitchers: Bret Helton, Garrett Delano, Drew Gillespie, Peter Holden, Brady Kais, Nate Teller, Sean Fluke, Dylan Porter, Riyan Rodriguez.
Dylan Porter is an interesting story—he’s a returnee after taking a year off. Fans often confuse him with Tanner Thomas because they look like twins on the field, which only adds to the chaos during synchronized swimming routines.
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The Philosophy of the "Villain"
Most people get this wrong: the Party Animals aren't the "bad guys." They’re the "party." While the Savannah Bananas are the wholesome, yellow-clad heroes of the story, the Animals are the edgy, loud, slightly-unhinged cousins who show up to the family reunion with a keg and a boombox.
The 2026 roster was built to lean into that.
The loss of Armando Becerra to the Firefighters was a strategic blow, no doubt. He was an All-Star and an elite defender. But the addition of Bryson Bloomer (affectionately called "The Boomer") offsets that. Bloomer led the World Tour in stolen bases in 2025. He’s got pop in his bat and is probably the best trick-play artist currently active in Banana Ball.
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Why This Roster Matters for the 2026 Season
This isn't just a "show" anymore. With a 50-game schedule and a four-team playoff format, the wins actually matter. The party animals baseball roster is built for depth. In previous years, they could rely on a few stars, but with more teams in the mix, they need a rotation that can handle the travel.
Moving through 45 states in one season is brutal.
The pitching staff is the secret weapon here. Having guys like Nate Teller and Brady Kais coming out of the pen gives them a late-game advantage that the expansion teams like the Coconuts just haven't developed yet. They have the experience of playing in front of 30,000 people at MLB stadiums. That pressure melts most players. This roster? They eat it for breakfast.
Actionable Ways to Follow the Team
If you're trying to keep up with the roster moves throughout the summer, here’s how to stay in the loop:
- Watch the "BTV" (Banana Town Video) broadcasts. They do deep dives into player stats that you won't find on ESPN.
- Follow the individual players on TikTok. Most of the roster announcements and "day in the life" content happens there first.
- Check the "Visitors" roster. The Visitors is their developmental team. If a player on the main roster gets injured or loses their "spark," the next Party Animal is usually pulled from that squad.
- Download the 2026 BBCL Schedule. Don't just look for when they play the Bananas; the rivalry games against the Texas Tailgaters are where the real "dirty" baseball happens.
The 2026 season is going to be a gauntlet. Whether they can repeat as champions depends entirely on if the new guys like Michael Ballard and TJ Reeves can mesh with the "old guard" of Fisher and Thomas. But if the pre-season energy is any indication, the party isn't stopping anytime soon.