CHICAGO, Ill. – Tyler Banks (C '23) signed a professional baseball contract with the Westside Woolly Mammoths of the United Shore Professional Baseball League (USPBL) on Friday afternoon. Banks becomes the third Viking Baseball player to sign a pro contract this year, joining current Birmingham Bloomfield Beaver catcher Ranko Stevanovic (C '22) and Ethan Sund (C '22).
"I wouldn't be in this position without North Park," said Banks. "The coaches and my teammates helped me become the person and player I am. The program has prepared me for life."
Banks pitched in five seasons for NPU Baseball, including the shortened 2020 season, before finishing out his collegiate career at Division I Butler University. In a Viking uniform, he logged 133.2 innings on the mound with 149 strikeouts and 11 wins. As a freshman during the 2019 season, he led NPU with seven wins and made a significant splash when he tossed five innings in a 9-7 win over then No. 1 Concordia-Chicago on April 23.
"Tyler Banks has traveled a long road to get to where he is today," said North Park Head Baseball Coach Luke Johnson. "I'm very proud that we were able to spend five years together and that we got to watch Tyler grow and mature as a player and person, overcome obstacles, and take a lot of ownership over his development as a player. I'm very happy that he's getting a professional opportunity.
This past 2024 season for the Bulldogs, he led the Butler staff with 65.1 innings pitched and 14 starts while punching out a team second-best 46 opposing batters. He secured his first Division I win against Alabama A&M on Feb. 24 following his Butler debut on Feb. 18 at Florida State. He struck out 5+ batters in five different appearances, including six against Jackson State (March 9) and Dayton (March 23).
"I'm very grateful to have an opportunity to keep playing the game I love and I'm excited to get after it," Banks concluded.
About the USPBL
The United Shore Professional Baseball League was founded by Andy Appleby, a former senior vice president of the Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports and Entertainment. Justin Orenduff, a former First Round Pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is the Director of Baseball Operations.
The league has four teams based in Metro Detroit, with all games being played at Jimmy John's Field in Utica, Michigan. The $12 million ballpark has seating for 2,000 and a total capacity of 4,000.
Forty-five players from the USPBL have signed contracts with Major League Baseball organizations. During the 2019 season, pitcher Randy Dobnak became the first alum to advance all the way to the Major Leagues when he was called up to the Minnesota Twins on August 8, 2019. A second USPBL alum, Logan Gillaspie, was called up to the Baltimore Orioles on May 17, 2022. A third USPBL player, Jared Koenig, made his MLB debut with the Oakland Athletics during the 2022 season.
