Kyle Jackson (baseball)

Kyle "KJ" Jackson
Savannah Bananas – No. 4
Utility player
Born: (2002-04-19) April 19, 2002
Bowling Green, Ohio, U.S.
Banana Ball (BBCL) debut
2022, for the Visitors

Kyle David "KJ" Jackson (born 2002) is an American baseball player and social media personality, He is best known for his role as a member of the Savannah Bananas, where he has been described as one of the top stars of Banana Ball. He is also known for his social media presence. He previously was a member of the baseball team at Kent State University.

Biography

Jackson was born on April 19, 2002 in Bowling Green, Ohio,[1] and attended Bowling Green High School, where he played baseball and was named the 2019 Mirror Player of the Year.[2]

He attended Kent State University,[3] where he played for the Kent State Golden Flashes baseball team.[2] He majored in sports psychology and minored in theater performance.[4] He also spent some of the 2023 season with the summer baseball team the St. Cloud Rox.[5] He was named to the 2023 Mid-American Conference All Tournament Team.[2]

When he was 20, he suffered from ruptured L4 and L5 discs and had to undergo spinal surgery.[6][7]

During his senior year, his coach Jeff Duncan recommended him to the coach of the Savannah Bananas, and immediately after interviewing he was selected to join the Banana Visitors.[4] He has stated that on Thursday he finished his season, Saturday he went to tryouts, and by Tuesday he was in Savannah.[8] He played six games with the Visitors.[9] Under a year later, he joined the Bananas team.[4] He has discussed how he believes this was the "best of both worlds" for him, combining his passions for entertainment and sports, due to the unique style of Banana Ball.[10] He became known in 2025 for his triple play.[11]

He draws a cross and a heart under his eyes before every game, something he has attributed to the importance he places on his faith, especially after his spinal surgery.[12][13]

He was ranked by Ranker as the hottest member of the Savannah Bananas.[14] He was described by Savannah Now as one of the top stars of the Bananas.[15] As of July 2025, he had 783,000 followers:[16] by April 2026, he had 1.4 million followers.[14]

He has held a fundraiser in Thomasville for the American Cancer Society.[17] In 2025, he was one of three Bananas players to be voted by the fans to be kept on the team, alongside Jackson Olson.[18]

He was appointed by gym franchise Workout Anytime as the "chief aura officer", a paid position where his role involves driving brand awareness, making in-person appearances at gyms, and utilizing his social media, with an emphasis on the positive aftereffects of working out.[14][19] He is also an Under Armour brand ambassador.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "Kyle Jackson College & Amateur Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  2. 1 2 3 "Kyle Jackson - Baseball". Kent State Golden Flashes. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  3. ↑ Yates, Bennett (2025-09-01). "Who is KJ Jackson? Meet the Savannah Bananas' #4 star - Briefly.co.za". briefly.co.za. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  4. 1 2 3 Lennon, Jen. "Flashes Go Bananas | Kent State Magazine | October 2025". www.kent.edu. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  5. ↑ Shea, Paul SheaPaul (2025-06-04). "An A-Peeling St. Cloud Connection To The Savannah Bananas". 98.1 - Minnesota's New Country. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  6. ↑ Kyle, Jackson. "Looking back on the past two years, it's hard not to get a little teary eyed". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  7. ↑ Media, Rox (2023-06-25). "Get to Know 'Em: Kyle Jackson". St. Cloud Rox. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  8. ↑ WOIO, Leah Doherty- (2024-08-10). "Former Golden Flash makes his way home with Savannah Bananas". Cleveland 19. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  9. ↑ Sweeney, Chris (Aug 11, 2024). "Simply Bananas". The Chronicle Telegram. p. 11.
  10. ↑ Nied, Michael (February 5, 2026). "Kyle 'KJ' Jackson Talks Making Baseball 'Sexy' with the Savannah Bananas: 'My Whole Life I Had Been Preparing' (Exclusive)". People.
  11. ↑ Jaspal, Khalil (2026-03-26). "Kyle "KJ" Jackson – The Ultimate Showman Of Banana Ball". Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  12. ↑ Mattingly, Mallory (2025-07-08). "Savannah Bananas Star Declares 'My Faith Is Everything to Me'". Movieguide | The Family Guide to Movies & Entertainment. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  13. ↑ CedarCreek Church (2025-12-08). Kyle "KJ" Jackson Visits CedarCreek Church to Share His Testimony. Retrieved 2026-07-10 – via YouTube.
  14. 1 2 3 Halpern, Joe (2026-03-31). "Workout Anytime Taps Savannah Bananas Star; Little Caesars Leans On NFL Athletes". franchisetimes.com. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  15. ↑ Dennis, Ryne. "Who is KJ Jackson? Get to know the Savannah Bananas rookie star". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  16. ↑ Fominykh, Katherine (July 1, 2025). "Let's Get Bananas". The Capital. p. 14.
  17. ↑ Dispatch, Staff Report The (2026-04-10). "Savannah Bananas' KJ Jackson to host meet-and-greet fundraiser in Thomasville". The Dispatch. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  18. ↑ "Fans Voted to Keep These Three Savannah Bananas Players!". Savannah Bananas On SI. 2025-11-04. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  19. ↑ "Workout Anytime Names Chief Aura Officer | Kyle "KJ" Jackson and The After Campaign". 1851franchise.com. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
  20. ↑ "Under Armour Welcomes KJ Jackson as Latest Brand Ambassador". UA Newsroom. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
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