Banda Tabbed Top Pro

CORPUS CHRISTI - Left-handed pitcher and Sinton High School alum Anthony Banda is the 2015 Mike Adams South Texas Professional Player of the Year.

In 2015, Banda went 8-8 with a 3.32 ERA and a complete-game shutout over 28 appearances (27 starts) for Visalia, the Arizona Diamondbacks' California League affiliate. He averaged nearly four strikeouts per walk and logged nine whiffs per nine innings, fanning 152 batters against 39 free passes in 151 2/3 frames.

Banda led the Rawhide in ERA, strikeouts, innings pitched, starts and batting average against (.260). The 22-year-old southpaw was second on the club in triumphs and WHIP (1.25). Visalia finished the season with a California League best 84-56 record.

A Cal League Postseason All-Star, Banda stood among the circuit leaders in eight different categories. His strikeout total topped the Class-A ranks and slotted seventh in Minor League Baseball.

The former Sinton Pirate enjoyed a strong start, winning all three of his April decisions courtesy of a 2.86 ERA. Following a rough May, Banda rebounded to post solid numbers through the rest of the season. In the second half, he went 3-3 with a 2.64 ERA in 14 games (13 starts). During this run, Banda struck out 82 and walked 18 in 75 innings, limiting the opposition to three home runs and a .246 batting average.

Banda's complete-game effort came June 7 at Bakersfield when he held the Blaze to five hits and one walk over nine frames. He was named California League Pitcher of the Week after blanking Rancho Cucamonga through eight innings July 18. On July 29 against San Jose, Banda struck out a career-high 13 in six innings of work.

The four-year pro permitted just six earned runs over his final seven regular-season appearances, which totaled 31 innings.

Banda's lone postseason assignment was Game 1 of the Cal League Division Finals. He tossed six innings of three-run ball in a no-decision opposite San Jose. The Rawhide won the opener, 6-5, but lost the series in five games to the Giants.

In 2011, Banda was originally selected by Arizona in the 33rd round as a senior at Sinton High School. He elected not to sign and attended San Jacinto College in Houston where he was taken by the Brewers in the 10th round of the 2012 draft. At the 2014 trade deadline, Milwaukee shipped Banda, along with outfielder Mitch Hangier, to Arizona in exchange for major league outfielder Gerardo Parra.  

The 2016 South Texas Winter Baseball Banquet is presented by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and iHeartMEDIA. Tickets for the January 14 event at the Solomon P. Ortiz Center are on sale now at the Whataburger Field Box Office. To order by phone, call 361-561-HOOK (4665).