For Rocky Point native Frankie Moscatiello, the yankee game this weekend is not the one he once pictured, but it is the one he has waited years to reach. He will step onto the field at Yankee Stadium in an all-yellow Savannah Bananas uniform, finally getting the chance to pitch in the Bronx.
What makes this Yankee Game different?
The Bananas are in New York for two games against the Party Animals in Banana Ball Championship League play, with Game 1 set for 7 p. m. ET Saturday and Game 2 at 3 p. m. ET Sunday. The setting is familiar, but the baseball is not. This yankee game is built around a fan experience that blends performance, accessibility and fast-moving play.
Tickets originally ranged from $40 to $100 through the Bananas’ lottery system, while some premium seats and suites remain available through the Yankees’ website. On the secondary market, prices were more than double those face values as of Tuesday afternoon, a sign of how much demand still trails the team. The lowest tickets surfaced at $61 on one ticket marketplace and under $100 on others, while the higher-end options climbed sharply.
How did Frankie Moscatiello get here?
Moscatiello’s path to this yankee game runs through an eight-year grind in baseball. He was a Newsday All-Long Island selection in 2014 at Rocky Point, then went on to St. Thomas Aquinas, where he earned Pitcher of the Year honors in 2017 and 2018 and was a Division II All-American in 2017. Now wearing No. 99, he says the Bananas have given him a place that feels both professional and personal.
“It’s been a blast, ” Moscatiello said. “The fan experience has been incredibly rewarding, and the team is like one big family. We’re all having a great time playing the game we love. ”
He added, “It’s everything I thought it would be and more. It’s the coolest place to play. It’s like playing pick-up wiffle ball. It’s so much fun. ”
Why do the Bananas keep drawing crowds?
The answer is not just what happens between pitches. Bananas co-owner Jesse Cole framed the operation simply: “We’re not in the baseball business. We’re in the entertainment business. ” That approach has shaped the team’s rise, including 500 straight sell-outs and packed stops in New Orleans, San Diego and Anaheim before arriving in the Bronx.
Players sign autographs, run into the crowd to take photos and stay accessible during games. Moscatiello said that interaction is central to why people keep coming back, noting that fans do not always get a chance to meet big-league stars, but the Bananas make that part of the show. The team is also 10-1 in its six-team league, which includes the Indianapolis Clowns, Texas Tailgaters, Loco Beach Coconuts, Firefighters and Party Animals.
What does this moment mean beyond the stadium?
For Moscatiello, it means a personal dream fulfilled in front of a large and demanding crowd. For the Bananas, it is another test of whether their formula can keep turning curiosity into a lasting event. After this yankee game weekend, the team heads to Atlanta’s Truist Park on May 8-10, carrying the same mix of choreography, energy and crowd contact that has become their signature.
Back in the Bronx, the field will look the same under the lights, but the mood will be different. Moscatiello will not be in pinstripes. He will be in yellow, living the kind of night he once imagined from a distance and now gets to play out in full view at Yankee Stadium.
