Unicycling Star Joins Savannah Bananas’ Newest Team

SALM, Massachusetts — Jonathan Luders never dreamed his childhood unicycle club would lead him to play professional baseball. The 25-year-old from Lynnfield, Massachusetts, has been selected as a shortstop utility player for the new Texas Tailgaters, a team in the Banana Ball League, made famous by the Savannah Bananas.

The Texas Tailgaters are set to kick off their inaugural season with a matchup against the Party Animals in New Mexico this May. “I think Lynnfield Little League is probably where it all started,” Luders said, reflecting on his baseball journey.

Luders began playing at a young age, moving from Lynnfield Little League to high school, and later becoming a five-year player at Seton Hall University, where he experienced a COVID-19 interruption during his freshman year. His journey also included stints with the North Shore Navigators and a summer in the historic Cape Cod League. “It was like a dream come true,” Luders remarked. “I had one at-bat. I got a hit, and then I got released. So, I’m batting a thousand on the Cape!”

Inspired by the Savannah Bananas’ unique approach to the game, Luders applied to the league after watching a Bananas game at Fenway Park last summer. Unbeknownst to him, his unicycling skills had already caught the team’s attention. “Shoutout to Ms. Robertson!” he exclaimed, crediting his fourth-grade gym teacher for introducing him to unicycling through a before-school club.

“Not my wildest dreams would I ever imagine unicycling on a baseball field,” Luders said at The Grind Factory in Salem, where he trains. “The fact that Jesse Cole reached out to me was floored!”

Jesse Cole, the founder of the Savannah Bananas and a fellow Massachusetts native, expressed enthusiasm for Luders’ application. After showcasing his unique abilities during a tryout, Luders was offered a contract with the team.

With an undying passion for baseball and a focus on providing joy to fans, Luders is ready to embrace this new chapter in his life. “That’s what baseball and summer ball is about,” he said. “If I can do that on a larger scale with this Banana Ball thing, I think that’d be a dream come true.”

The Savannah Bananas will also return to Fenway Park on July 5-6 to face off against the Firefighters as part of their 2025 schedule.