Mud Monsters Re-Sign Mississippi Native Gray Bane
The Olive Branch native returns to Mississippi's active roster for the final week of the 2026 Frontier League season.
JOLIET, Ill. (Sept. 1, 2026) — The Mississippi Mud Monsters have announced the signing and activation of catcher Gray Bane ahead of the opening of the final week of the 2026 season.
Monster Notes
A familiar face - and another Mississippi native - is back in the teal and black for the final six games.
- Gray Bane began the 2026 season on Mississippi's active roster after making the club out of spring training.
- The Olive Branch, Mississippi native appeared in three games for the Mud Monsters earlier this season.
- After leaving the active roster, Bane remained with the organization as its emergency catcher for home games.
- Bane played at Lewisburg High School alongside current Mud Monsters pitcher Brayden Sanders.
- His college career included stops at Mississippi State, Itawamba Community College, Southern Miss and Incarnate Word.
- Bane returns to the active roster after Victor Diaz was placed on the Injured List following Sunday's home finale.
Back in the Teal and Black
Bane was part of the Mud Monsters roster when the 2026 season began.
Bane began the season with Mississippi after making the team out of spring training and appeared in three games on the road in May against the Florence Y’alls and Lake Erie Crushers.
After being released from his active roster contract, the Olive Branch, Mississippi native remained with the club as its emergency catcher for home games.
Mississippi Roots
From Olive Branch to Starkville, Fulton and Hattiesburg, much of Bane's baseball story was written close to home.
Bane played at Lewisburg High School, where he was teammates with current Mud Monsters pitcher Brayden Sanders.
Rated among the top high school players in the state, Bane began his collegiate career at Mississippi State before moving to Itawamba Community College, where he earned All-MACCC honorable mention honors.
A Mississippi State Commit
Bane was already drawing attention around the state years before his professional career began.
Before beginning his college career, Bane emerged as one of Mississippi's notable prep catching prospects at Lewisburg High School.
He originally committed to Mississippi State and began his collegiate career with the Bulldogs before continuing his development elsewhere.
The College Journey Continues
Bane finished his career after stops at four programs across Mississippi and beyond.
The catcher later continued his collegiate career at Southern Miss before transferring to the University of the Incarnate Word for the 2025 season.
At UIW, Bane finished his collegiate career by appearing in a career-high number of games while hitting five home runs across 34 contests.
Gray Bane Career Stats
View Bane's collegiate and professional record on Baseball-Reference ›
Back for the Final Week
The move gives Jay Pecci another catching option as Mississippi opens its final road trip.
With Bane re-signing and returning to the active roster, manager Jay Pecci adds another catcher to the fold after Victor Diaz was placed on the Injured List following Sunday’s finale against the Windy City ThunderBolts.
The Mud Monsters begin a six-game Illinois road trip Tuesday evening with the first of a three-game set against the Joliet Slammers.
First pitch from Slammers Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CT.
Following the Tuesday-Thursday series against the Slammers, Mississippi will conclude the 2026 campaign with a three-game set against the Gateway Grizzlies in Sauget, Illinois beginning Friday.
The Final Six
Mississippi begins the final week of the 2026 Frontier League season Tuesday night in Joliet.
The Mud Monsters will play three games against the Slammers before traveling south to Sauget for the final three games of the season against the Gateway Grizzlies.
First pitch Tuesday from Slammers Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CT.
About the Mississippi Mud Monsters
Baseball Lives Here. It Just Got a Little Weirder.
The Mississippi Mud Monsters are a professional baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, competing in the Frontier League. Built in the mud and rooted in Mississippi, the Mud Monsters believe baseball should be unapologetically fun, a little weird, wildly welcoming, and deeply tied to the place it calls home. Real baseball. Real people. This is swamp-built, Mississippi-made baseball, where the vibes matter just as much as the final score.