Wes Bankston
Encyclopedia
Wesley Wade Bankston is a former Major League Baseball
first baseman
who is currently playing for the Bridgeport Bluefish
of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
. At Plano East High School
, he played baseball
and football
as an outfielder
and starting quarterback
, respectively. Bankston was committed to playing for the University of Texas before the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
drafted him in the 4th round (104th overall) in the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft
. On June 17, 2002, he signed with the Devil Rays.
Bankston started his professional career off well in 2002. Playing primarily as an outfielder for the Rookie League Princeton Devil Rays
and the Single-A Hudson Valley Renegades
, he hit a combined .301 with 18 home run
s in 70 games. His impressive 18 home runs set the Princeton record, breaking Jared Sandberg
's record of 17. Baseball America
rated Bankston as the 2nd best prospect in the Appalachian League
and the 6th best prospect in the Devil Rays organization.
In , his performance dropped while playing for the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs
. In 103 games, he hit
just .256 with 12 home runs. Baseball America placed him on the Devil Rays organization prospect list as the 7th best prospect. Due to his poor performance in 2003, he spent the season again in Charleston. Converting to a full time first baseman
, he hit .289 with 23 home runs; his 23 home runs were a career high for him. His good performance also got him named as the team's Player of the Year and was also named to the South Atlantic League
midseason All-Star team.
Bankston missed the first month of the season in with a torn left meniscus. After being activated from the disabled list
, he played with the Single-A Visalia Oaks
. After 17 games in which he hit .387 with 3 home runs, he was promoted to Double-A Montgomery
, where he would be for the remainder of the season. Bankston played in 82 games for the Montgomery Biscuits and had a batting average
of .292 with 12 home runs. Baseball America also rated him again as the 7th best prospect in the organization. His contract was purchased by the Devil Rays on November 18, 2005.
Bankston began the season for the Biscuits. Playing third base
for the first time in his career, Bankston hit just .263 with 4 home runs in 45 games for the Biscuits. Regardless of his poor performance, he was still named to the Southern League
midseason All-Star team as the starting third baseman. After the All-Star game, he was promoted to the Triple-A Durham Bulls
on July 13, finishing the rest of the season at Durham. Bankston played in 52 games in his first year at the Triple-A level and batted .297 with 5 home runs.
Bankston's performance plummeted in , playing the whole season in Triple-A. His .238 batting average was the worst to date in his career and his status as a prospect is not as high as it was before. He was designated for assignment
on September 19, 2007, and was claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Royals
on September 21. The Royals designated him for assignment on November 20, 2007, and was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics
. Bankston was designated for assignment on February 8, . He cleared waivers and was outrighted to the minor leagues on February 13, 2008.
Bankston made his major league debut on July 2, , with the Athletics against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
. His first major league home run came on July 7 against the Seattle Mariners
. He was designated for assignment on August 18 and became a free agent at the end of the season. On December 18, he signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds
, where he spent the 2009 season in their minor league system.
On February 24, 2010, Bankston signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
who is currently playing for the Bridgeport Bluefish
Bridgeport Bluefish
The Bridgeport Bluefish is an American professional baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
. At Plano East High School
Plano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. It is part of the Plano Independent School District....
, he played baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, respectively. Bankston was committed to playing for the University of Texas before the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
drafted him in the 4th round (104th overall) in the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft
2002 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 4 and 5.This year's draft is featured in Michael Lewis' 2003 book Moneyball.-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Compensation Selections:...
. On June 17, 2002, he signed with the Devil Rays.
Bankston started his professional career off well in 2002. Playing primarily as an outfielder for the Rookie League Princeton Devil Rays
Princeton Devil Rays
The Princeton Rays are a minor league baseball team in Princeton, West Virginia, USA. They are an Advanced Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League and have been an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays since September 27, 1996...
and the Single-A Hudson Valley Renegades
Hudson Valley Renegades
The Hudson Valley Renegades are a minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Tampa Bay Rays. The team is a member of the New York - Penn League, a Class A Short Season league. The Renegades play at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, NY....
, he hit a combined .301 with 18 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in 70 games. His impressive 18 home runs set the Princeton record, breaking Jared Sandberg
Jared Sandberg
Jared Lawrence Sandberg is a former American Major League Baseball third baseman for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The nephew of former Chicago Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg, he is currently the manager of the Class-A level Hudson Valley Renegades in the Rays organization.Sandberg was born in...
's record of 17. Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
rated Bankston as the 2nd best prospect in the Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
and the 6th best prospect in the Devil Rays organization.
In , his performance dropped while playing for the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs
Charleston RiverDogs
The Charleston RiverDogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Charleston, South Carolina. They play in the class A South Atlantic League and are an affiliate of the New York Yankees. Their home stadium is at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park...
. In 103 games, he hit
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
just .256 with 12 home runs. Baseball America placed him on the Devil Rays organization prospect list as the 7th best prospect. Due to his poor performance in 2003, he spent the season again in Charleston. Converting to a full time first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, he hit .289 with 23 home runs; his 23 home runs were a career high for him. His good performance also got him named as the team's Player of the Year and was also named to the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
midseason All-Star team.
Bankston missed the first month of the season in with a torn left meniscus. After being activated from the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
, he played with the Single-A Visalia Oaks
Visalia Oaks
The Visalia Rawhide are a minor league baseball team in Visalia, California, U.S. They are a Class A - Advanced team of the Arizona Diamondbacks operating in the California League and have recently agreed to renew their affiliation through 2012....
. After 17 games in which he hit .387 with 3 home runs, he was promoted to Double-A Montgomery
Montgomery Biscuits
The Montgomery Biscuits are a minor league baseball team based in Montgomery, Alabama. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and plays in the Southern League. The 2004 season was the team's first in Montgomery...
, where he would be for the remainder of the season. Bankston played in 82 games for the Montgomery Biscuits and had a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .292 with 12 home runs. Baseball America also rated him again as the 7th best prospect in the organization. His contract was purchased by the Devil Rays on November 18, 2005.
Bankston began the season for the Biscuits. Playing third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
for the first time in his career, Bankston hit just .263 with 4 home runs in 45 games for the Biscuits. Regardless of his poor performance, he was still named to the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
midseason All-Star team as the starting third baseman. After the All-Star game, he was promoted to the Triple-A Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
on July 13, finishing the rest of the season at Durham. Bankston played in 52 games in his first year at the Triple-A level and batted .297 with 5 home runs.
Bankston's performance plummeted in , playing the whole season in Triple-A. His .238 batting average was the worst to date in his career and his status as a prospect is not as high as it was before. He was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
on September 19, 2007, and was claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
on September 21. The Royals designated him for assignment on November 20, 2007, and was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. Bankston was designated for assignment on February 8, . He cleared waivers and was outrighted to the minor leagues on February 13, 2008.
Bankston made his major league debut on July 2, , with the Athletics against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. His first major league home run came on July 7 against the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. He was designated for assignment on August 18 and became a free agent at the end of the season. On December 18, he signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, where he spent the 2009 season in their minor league system.
On February 24, 2010, Bankston signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
Statistics
| Year | |Tm | |G Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... | AB At bat In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance... | R Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... | H Hit (baseball) In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice.... | 2B Double (baseball) In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... | 3B Triple (baseball) In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... | HR Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... | RBI Run batted in Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI... | TB Total bases In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total.... | BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... | IBB Intentional base on balls In baseball, an intentional base on balls, usually referred to as an intentional walk and denoted in baseball scorekeeping by IBB, is a walk issued to a batter by a pitcher with the intent of removing the batter's opportunity to swing at the pitched ball... | SO Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... | SH Sacrifice hit In baseball, a sacrifice bunt is a batter's act of deliberately bunting the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base. The batter is almost always sacrificed but sometimes reaches base due to an error or fielder's choice... | SF Sacrifice fly In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield.... | HBP Hit by pitch In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:... | GDP Double play In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two".... | SB Stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate... | CS Caught stealing In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt... | AVG Batting average Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :... | |SLG | OPS On-base plus slugging On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League... | |||
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| 2008 2008 Major League Baseball season The 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6–5 in the first game of a two-game series, and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the... |
24 | OAK Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum.... |
AL | 17 | 59 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .203 | .238 | .305 | .543 |
| Totals: | 17 | 59 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .203 | .238 | .305 | .543 | |||
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