Josh Banks

Joshua Charles Banks

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 195 lb.
• School Florida International University
• High School Severna Park High School
• Debut September 11, 2007
• Final Game June 26, 2010
• Born July 18, 1982 in Baltimore, MD USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Josh Banks was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 34th round of the 2000 amateur draft but did not sign. He was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays and scout Tony Arias as a 2nd round pick in the 2003 amateur draft.

Banks made his Major League debut on September 11, 2007. That year, he pitched 3 games and posted a 7.36 ERA without a decision. After a rather unremarkable career as a conventional pitcher (27 games, 19 starts, 4-8, 5.66 with a mere 53 strikeouts in 112 innings), Banks reinvented himself as a knuckleballer in the early 2010s and attracted some positive attention. The Toronto Blue Jays signed him to a minor league contract with an invitation to their 2014 spring training. They were not expecting him to make the team, but wanted him to work with some of the organization's catchers in order to give them practical experience in handling the tricky pitch, what with staff ace R.A. Dickey using it as his bread and butter pitch. He failed to impress enough to be given an opportunity to pitch in the team's system and retired for good.

Related Sites

• Josh Banks on mlb.com