Anthony Banda

Frank Anthony Banda

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 225 lb.
• School San Jacinto College
• High School Sinton High School
• Debut July 22, 2017

• Born August 10, 1993 in Corpus Christi, TX USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Anthony Banda was drafted twice, first by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 33rd round in 2011, out of high school, and again by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 10th round in 2012, out of San Jacinto College. The scout was Brian Sankey. He began his pro career in 2012 with the AZL Brewers, going 2-3, 5.83 in 14 games. He spent 2013 with the Helena Brewers of the Pioneer League, where he was 3-4, 4.45 in 14 games. He took a major step forward in 2014, when he was a combined 9-6, 3.03 in 26 games in the Midwest League. He started off with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, then moved to the South Bend Silver Hawks after being traded to the Diamondbacks, along with Mitch Haniger, in return for outfielder Gerardo Parra on July 31. After the trade, he was 3-0, 1.54 in 6 starts for South Bend.

He spent 2015 in Class A with the Visalia Oaks of the California League, where he was 8-8, 3.32 and struck out 152 batters in 151 1/3 innings. He continued his steady progression in 2016 when he was assigned to the Mobile Bay Bears of the Double A Southern League. He was 6-2, 2.12 after 13 starts when he was promoted to the Reno Aces at the end of June. Around that same time, he was named a member of the United States team for the 2016 Futures Game. He ended up the loser in that game, played at Petco Park on July 10, as he entered the top of the 8th with a 4-3 lead, but Raimel Tapia reached on an error by third baseman Alex Bregman and Yoan Moncada followed with a two-run homer to put the World team ahead to stay. Banda finished the year in Triple A with the Reno Aces, going 4-4, 3.67 in 13 starts to finish the year with a combined record of 10-6, 2.88 in 26 starts, logging 150 innings.

He started the 2017 season back at Reno, where he was 7-5, 5.08 in 18 starts. On July 22, he was called up to make his major league debut, starting for Arizona against the Washington Nationals. He was greeted to the bigs by a tape measure homer by Bryce Harper in the 1st, giving up 4 runs in 5 2/3 innings, and was charged with a 4-3 loss. In 8 games for Arizona (4 starts), he went 2-3, 5.96, pitching 25 2/3 innings. On February 20, 2018, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, alongside infield prospect Nick Solak and two players to be named later (pitchers Sam McWilliams and Colin Poche), in return for outfielder Steven Souza. He went 1-0, 3.68 in 3 appearances for the Rays and 4-3, 3.64 in 8 games for the Triple A Durham Bulls, but in early June the team announced that he would have to undergo Tommy John surgery, putting him on the shelf for a year. He returned at the tail end of 2019, posting a 6.75 ERA in 3 big league appearances (4 innings).

Related Sites

• Anthony Banda on mlb.com
• BR Minors page