The Savannah Bananas and their rival team, the Party Animals, have finalized their coaching staffs for the 2024 Banana Ball World Tour. The Bananas will once again be led by Tyler Gillum and Adam Virant, while Mike Vavasis returns as the Head Coach of the Party Animals. Three new coaches are also joining the ranks this year.
Ray Ortega joins the Bananas as their new Hitting Coach and will also assist with catcher development. Ortega previously coached with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, helping the team set offensive records. His coaching journey includes roles in various independent leagues and time as the bullpen coach for the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A affiliate, where he helped the team win a championship. He was first introduced to Banana Ball when the Blue Crabs played the Bananas in 2023.
The Party Animals have hired Isaac Hess as their new Pitching Coach. Hess’s career has taken him around the world—playing professionally in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, the Czech Republic, and Australia. He overcame early setbacks in college, including hip surgery, to build a seven-year professional career. He also founded MADE Baseball, a training organization in Los Angeles, and Cagelist, a platform for booking batting cages.
Anthony Coromato joins the Party Animals as Hitting Coach. He played college baseball at SUNY Cortland and professionally in Italy and various U.S. independent leagues. Coromato has coached at the college and professional levels, including roles with the Charleston Dirty Birds and New York Boulders. He is also a co-owner of IndyBall Jobs, helping unsigned players connect with pro teams. Like Ortega, he was introduced to Banana Ball in 2023 during a challenge game against the Bananas.
Tyler Gillum enters his seventh year with the Bananas, having led the team to back-to-back Coastal Plain League titles in 2021 and 2022. This marks his second season coaching the professional Banana Ball team. Adam Virant, returning as a key assistant, has coached on every Banana Ball tour to date and also serves as Director of Baseball Operations. Mike Vavasis, a former player, returns for his fourth tour—now fully stepping into his role as Head Coach of the Party Animals, though fans may still see him perform his signature dancing at the plate.
