More than baseball: Former local standout Travis Moniot making most of opportunity in Banana Ball

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) -- For many baseball players, they dream of playing Major League Baseball.

But for Travis Moniot, that dream has evolved.

"If you'd rather play Banana Ball or in the big leagues, 162 games or on the weekends in sold-out stadiums and do what we do, I'm 99% positive you'll say you'd rather be here than the big leagues," Moniot said.

After standout careers at Palm Desert High School and in college, Moniot was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 2018 MLB Draft. He spent a few seasons in the minor leagues before earning an unexpected opportunity.

Moniot was messaged through social media by Banana Ball.

Now entering his second season with the Texas Tailgaters, Moniot has embraced both the unique style of play and the lifestyle that comes with it. He and his wife have made Savannah, Georgia, home.

"I moved to Savannah, played the full season with the Texas Tailgaters, and now live full-time in Savannah for year two," Moniot said. "We won the Banana Ball Open at the beginning of the year. That clinched a spot for us in the playoffs, so it's been a lot of fun."

While the winning has been enjoyable, Moniot says Banana Ball offers much more than baseball.

Created by Savannah Bananas founder Jesse Cole, the sport blends baseball with entertainment, creating an experience that has attracted millions of fans across the country.

"Jesse Cole, who's the founder of Banana Ball, studies Walt Disney, P.T. Barnum and all those guys quite a bit," Moniot said. "We watch The Greatest Showman and try to exemplify the energy from that movie. As Banana Ball continues to grow, it becomes less about just baseball and the antics of the game, but also a platform to pursue other careers in entertainment and sports."

For Moniot, that platform has sparked a new dream.

"There's a lot of guys who want to act. I want to act," he said. "It's been something that's been on my heart for the last two years. My wife has brought it up a few times, especially once I started to come out of my shell in Banana Ball."

He believes the confidence he's gained performing in front of packed crowds has translated naturally into a passion for acting.

"Acting is embodying the human experience in different realms and portraying that and feeling that," Moniot said. "I'm super fascinated with that. I enjoy it."

Banana Ball has become much more than baseball for Moniot. It has become the next chapter of a life and career he never expected.

"Being a husband is just awesome and fun, just a gift. It's just been really cool to support her through where God has her plans going. So it's cool to really be embedded into the community of Georgia and just be appreciative of that," said Moniot.

You can follow Moniot's journey on Instagram @travis_moniot.

Stay with KESQ News Channel 3 for continuing coverage of local sports.