East Lyme Pitcher Drafted By Savannah Bananas

EAST LYME, CT — An East Lyme native who pitched for the University of Rhode Island has been drafted by the Savannah Bananas.

Trystan Levesque was selected No. 13 by the Bananas, one of six teams that plays exhibition baseball games in the entertaining Banana Ball Championship League.

“I took my baseball journey through college as seriously as possible and I will continue to do the same for the Savannah Bananas,” Levesque said in a statement. “I had to learn to be all business and serious about my craft, just as I will learn to be outgoing and create humor for the fans of Banana Ball.”

Levesque pitched for the URI Rams this past year, helping the team earn a trip to the NCAA Baseball Championship.

Banana Ball teams attract sellout crowds all over the country by using dancing, music, props, stunts, and tomfoolery to make baseball a fun, memorable experience for fans. The league was formed in 2020 when the Bananas played the first official game under “Banana Ball” rules.

Although Levesque attended a Banana Ball tryout in Philadelphia after being contacted by the team's director of recruiting, he was still surprised when his name was called in the draft.

“I was watching the draft with family and friends at a restaurant and had no idea I was being drafted prior to the selection,” Levesque said in a statement. “When I saw my name pop up on the bottom of the screen as it was announced, we all erupted with excitement. I first hugged my brother, as this was a huge accomplishment for me. It was a dream come true to play professional baseball and get to make the biggest impact on fans I could ever possibly dream of making.”

Levesque will start training with the Bananas in Savannah, Georgia on Jan. 15. The team will play two games on the 2026 tour at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Aug. 28 and 29.

Following a devastating hamstring injury in 2024, Levesque made a comeback this past season. He established a program record by starting 16 games on the mound. An 8-2 record, 3.49 earned run average, and 95 strikeouts earned Levesque Second Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference honors.

Raphael Cerrato, head coach of the URI baseball team, said Levesque "will be remembered as one of the top three or four pitchers in Rhody baseball history.”

“He was one the smartest and hardest workers I have ever coached," Cerrato said.