Jeff Banister

Jeffery Todd Banister (born January 15, 1964) is an American former professional baseball player and manager.

He is the bench coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Before that, he was a special assistant for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball.

While catching in a 1983 game, he suffered a collision at home plate, where the baserunner attempted to jump over him, and hit Banister in the head with his knee.

The collision broke three of the vertebrae in his neck.

Banister was not originally scheduled to play in that game; a scout for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB) told Lee's coach that he hoped to see Banister catch, which resulted in Banister being added to the starting lineup in a last-minute change.

As a result of the collision, Banister was paralyzed from the neck down for ten days.

Doctors initially warned him that he may never walk again.

He had another three operations performed on his back and learned how to walk again during the 1984 season.

Entering the hospital weighing 225 lbs, he weighed 139 lbs when he was discharged.

Banister recovered and played another season for Lee in 1985, and was named a Junior College All-American.

He was then drafted by the Pirates in 1986.

He transferred to University of Houston after the season to play for the Houston Cougars baseball team on a scholarship in 1986.

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Banister in the 25th round of the 1986 Major League Baseball Draft; he was the 621st player chosen in the draft.

Playing in Minor League Baseball, Banister made his professional debut as a member of the Watertown Pirates of the Class A-Short Season New York–Penn League in 1986.

After playing in Minor League Baseball, he appeared in one major league game on July 23, 1991, recording a hit in his only plate appearance.

He did not appear in another major league game, ending his playing career after the 1993 season.

Following his playing career, Banister remained with the Pirates.

He served as a manager for their Minor League Baseball affiliates from 1994 through 1998, and then as a minor league and major league field coordinator until 2010.

The Pirates considered him for their managerial vacancy before the 2011 season, though hired him as their bench coach, serving in that role through the 2014 season.

The Rangers hired Banister as their manager during the 2014–15 offseason, and he was named the American League Manager of the Year for 2015.

Banister attended La Marque High School in La Marque, Texas.

At La Marque, Banister played for the school's baseball, basketball, and American football teams.

During his sophomore year of high school, Banister injured his right ankle while playing baseball.

During an examination of his ankle, which was slow to heal, he was diagnosed with bone cancer.

He had developed cysts which required skin grafting to treat.

An infection in his leg led to the development of osteomyelitis, which spread from his right ankle to just below his knee.

Doctors recommended amputation to save the rest of his leg, but Banister refused, as he hoped he would be able to continue his baseball career.

Doctors performed seven operations on his leg, which saved it from being amputated.

In his senior year, Banister suffered a knee injury playing American football, which nearly led to him being cut from the baseball team because of his decreased mobility.

His father suggested he change positions and become a catcher, which allowed him to remain on the baseball team.

At a tryout conducted by professional scouts, Banister was noticed by the coaches at Lee College, a junior college in Baytown, Texas.

They recruited Banister to play college baseball at Lee.

He served as the manager of the Texas Rangers from 2015 through 2018.

Before joining the Rangers, Banister spent 29 years within the organization of the Pirates as a player and coach in both the Pirates' major and minor league system.

After leaving the Rangers, Banister served the Director of Player Development with the University of Northern Colorado Bears baseball program in 2021 before landing with the D-backs.

Banister played baseball at La Marque High School in La Marque, Texas.

He developed bone cancer in his sophomore year, which almost necessitated the amputation of his left leg below the knee.

While playing college baseball for Lee College, he suffered a home plate collision which broke three vertebrae in his neck, leaving him paralyzed for ten days.

After rehabilitating, he was named a Junior College All-American the next season, and received a scholarship to the University of Houston, to play for the Houston Cougars baseball team.