Former Youngstown State University baseball player Jeremy Banks has signed a contract to play professionally for the Traverse City Beach Bums of the Frontier League in 2013, the organization announced Monday.
Banks, who played for the Penguins from 2009-12, led the Horizon League in batting average (.385), on-base percentage (.466) and slugging percentage (.578) his senior year en route to being named first-team all-conference at designated hitter. Despite missing 14 games due to injury, he led YSU with 16 doubles and 44 RBIs. He also matched his career high with five home runs. Banks was named the Horizon League Batter of the Week three times during the season.
For his career, Banks batted .324 and played in 192 games. The Steubenville, Ohio, native finished his career ranking third in YSU history in career RBIs (137), fifth in walks (87), sixth in total bases (317), seventh in home runs (17), eighth in hits (220), ninth in doubles (42) and 10th in at bats (679). He batted at least .300 and posted an on-base percentage of at least .370 in each of his four seasons in a Penguins uniform.
Banks is the third YSU position player to sign a professional contract since 2010. Jacke Healey was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 27th round, and Tom Clayton signed with the Oakland County Cruisers of the Frontier League following the 2010 season.
