Jackie Bradley Jr. Makes History as 1st Former MLB Player Picked in Banana Ball Draft

Former MLB All-Star Jackie Bradley Jr. made history on Thursday.

Bradley was selected first overall by the Indianapolis Clowns in the inaugural Banana Ball Player Draft on Thursday, making him the first former MLB player to be taken in the draft and the first former MLB player to commit to participating full-time in Banana Ball.

Per ESPN's Anthony Gharib, Bradley's decision to join the league came together "days ago." He previously made an appearance in Banana Ball, playing for the Savannah Bananas in July at Fenway Park.

The Clowns initially served as the Negro Leagues' version of the Harlem Globetrotters from 1935 to 1989, according to Gharib, but were announced in October as one of the teams to join Banana Ball's inaugural 60-game season in 2026.

"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 said.

Bradley played 11 seasons in the majors, winning a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2018 and earning an All-Star nod and Gold Glove. He last played for the Kansas City Royals in 2023.