Savannah Bananas shortstop, a Beaver County native, excited to play at PNC Park in 2025
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A Beaver County native is getting ready to share his trick plays with his hometown when the Savannah Bananas bring their wildly popular show to PNC Park next year.
Shortstop Ryan Cox is not your typical baseball player, in large part, because this isn't your typical baseball game.
"It's the best job in the whole world," Cox said.
"Every ball game is packed. All the kids who want to meet you, they want to talk to you, they want to know your story," said Cox.
His story starts in Beaver County, on the diamond at Hopewell High School, and in the stands for Pirates games at Three Rivers Stadium and PNC Park.
"PNC Park was always the dream. A lot of kids want to grow up to be the Yankees shortstop. I wanted to be Jack Wilson, the Pirate shortstop," Cox added.
He's been lobbying the team's owner to make the dream a reality, and now, he's one step closer to achieving it.
The Savannah Bananas play their own brand of America's pastime.
Cox told KDKA-TV what you can expect.
"Nonstop entertainment from start to finish. From the time the gates open [until] the time that we wrap it up with singing 'Stand By Me,' you'll be out of your seat, singing, dancing. You might be crying happy tears from watching some of the really cool, emotional tributes or cool moments," Cox said.
Bring your glove because catching a foul ball means the runner is out.
"You could have a huge impact on both teams," Cox said.
He says the pressure to succeed made his high school playing days stressful, but with a return to PNC on the horizon, Cox says now he can have fun.
"It will be, by far, the most nervous I will be for a game, but in the best way possible, because all we want to do is put on the best show for the city of Pittsburgh because they've given me so many great sports years with Steelers, the Penguins, going to the Pirate games. Andrew McCutchen, if you're watching this, you're like my all-time favorite player, and I can't wait to do something cool with PNC Park," Cox added.
