Locals In MLB: Schneemann Leading Guardians In Grand Style
May 13, 2025, 2:56 PM | Updated: May 14, 2025, 10:33 am
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 3: Daniel Schneemann #10 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts as he runs out a grand slam in the ninth inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on May 3, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
(Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Daniel Schneemann recently etched his name in the baseball record books alongside Babe Ruth after hitting a go-ahead Grand Slam home run for the Cleveland Guardians.
The former BYU baseball star joined Ruth as the only players to have a multi-HR day and a game-winning Grand Slam while trailing and down to the team’s final out.
Daniel Schneemann of the @CleGuardians is the second player in MLB history to have a multi-HR game on the road that included a game-winning grand slam with his team trailing and down to its final out.
The other was Boston's Babe Ruth on July 18, 1919. pic.twitter.com/QqRdcIKSvz
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) May 3, 2025
Trailing 3-1, Schneemann crushed a ball into the rightfield bleachers at Rogers Center, giving the Guardians a 5-3 lead. The versatile defender ended the game with five RBI, accounting for every Guardian run in the win.
Schneemann has heated up after ending April with a .234 batting average. Hitting safely in seven of ten games in May, Schneemann has raised his overall average by nearly 30 points. Three of his five home runs have come since May 3.
Porter Hodge | RHP | Cottonwood Colts
MLB – Chicago Cubs
2025 Stats: 19 Games | 2-1 | 5.71 ERA | 17.1 IP | 6 HLD | 2 SV | 14 Ks | 5 BBs | 1.46 WHIP
Last 15 Games: 2-1 | 7.43 ERA | 13.1 IP | 2 SV | 11 Ks | 8 BBs | 1.50 WHIP
2024 MLB Stats: 39 Games | 3-1 | 1.88 ERA | 43 IP | 9 SV | 9 HLD | 52 Ks | 19 BBs | 0.89 WHIP
Hodge’s wicked stuff has been offset by an occasional lack of command, leading to a handful of blowup appearances that have bloated his ERA to 5.71. Before allowing three runs on three hits against the New York Mets, Hodge had been unblemished in eight of his past nine appearances.
The Cubs are 24-18 and lead the NL Central by a game over the streaking St. Louis Cardinals.
The right-handed Hodge was a two-time state champ at Cottonwood High. A four-year varsity starter, Hodge finished with a 1.50 ERA in 130.2 innings across 30 games.
The Chicago Cubs selected Hodge out of high school in the 13th round of the 2019 MLB draft. He advanced to Double-A Tennessee in 2023, finishing with a 6-7 record and a 5.13 ERA in 80.2 innings.
Justin Sterner | Pitcher | BYU Cougars
MLB – Athletics
2025 Stats: 19 Games | 1-0 | 2.33 ERA | 19.1 IP | 24 Ks | 11 BBs | 1.09 WHIP
Last 15 Games: 1-0 | 1.13 ERA | 15 IP | 17 Ks | 8 BBs | 1.13 WHIP
2024 MLB Stats: 2 Games | 0-0 | 2.25 ERA | 4 IP | 4 Ks | BB | 1.50 WHIP
A regression to the mean was inevitable for the rookie right-handed reliever. After beginning the season with 18 scoreless appearances, the New York Yankees roughed up the former Cougar with two homers and five earned runs on May 10.
Sterner and power closer Mason Miller have led the surging Athletics to second in the AL West and a 21-20 record.
Justin Sterner continues his amazing start to the 2025 MLB season with the Oakland A's as a middle reliever who hasn't given up a run in 18.1 innings pitched.
Last night the BYU alum pitched 1.2, giving up a hit and no runs in a loss to the Mariners.
And hey, he's a fellow… pic.twitter.com/9HeCabmc7i
— Jarom Jordan (@jaromjordan) May 7, 2025
Sterner made his MLB debut in 2024, throwing four innings in two appearances with the Tampa Bay Rays. Tampa Bay placed Sterner on waivers in early November, where the Sacramento-bound Athletics claimed him.
Through three years in Provo, the 6’1 righthander went 8-4 with a 2.86 ERA in 27 games (17 starts). He went 8-3 with a 2.92 ERA in 2019, striking out 71 batters in 71 innings.
RELATED: Former Cougar Pitching Lights Out For A’s
Daniel Schneemann | Utility | BYU Cougars
MLB – Cleveland Guardians
2025 Stats: 31 games | .263 BA | 21 Hits | 10 2B | 2 3B | 5 HRs | 12 RBI | 10 BBs | 25 Ks
2024 Stats: 73 games | .218 | 42 Hits | 10 2B | 2 3B | 5 HR | 22 RBI | 3 SB | 25 BBs | 70 Ks
Schneeman’s Guardians are 24-17 and trail the Detroit Tigers by 2.5 half games in the AL Central.
Daniel Schneemann's 2nd home run of the day is a GRAND SLAM to take the lead in the 9th! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/PuVyuvhy4Y
— MLB (@MLB) May 3, 2025
The former Cougar brought incredible versatility as a rookie, appearing in double-digit games at third base (17), shortstop (32), center field (16), and right field (14). Schneemann added six appearances at second and left for playoff-bound Cleveland.
Despite an underwhelming performance at the plate, first-year manager Stephen Vogt was confident putting Schneemann in the lineup at nearly any position.
This picture of Daniel Schneemann and Jhonkensy Noel attempting to catch the same ball is perfect. pic.twitter.com/Sszj8yIDnN
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) May 5, 2025
The Cleveland Guardians drafted the left-handed-hitting Schneemann in the 33rd round of the 2018 MLB draft after three seasons at BYU. The San Diego native hit .288 with 76 RBI, 16 stolen bases, and 21 doubles as a Cougar. His best year came in 2017 when he hit .317 with 13 doubles, two home runs, 38 runs knocked in, and ten stolen bases.
Tanner Banks | Pitcher | SLCC Bruins & Utah Utes
MLB – Philadelphia Phillies
2025 Stats: 17 Games | 0-0 | 18.1 IP | 3.93 ERA | 20 Ks | 4 BBs | 0.98 WHIP
Last 15 Games: 1-0 | 4.41 ERA | 16.1 IP | 18 Ks | 4 BBs | 0.98 WHIP
2024 Stats: 63 Games | 2-3 | 2 SV | 8 HLD | 72.1 IP | 3.98 ERA | 78 Ks | 25 BBs | 1.30 WHIP
Banks has made five appearances in May. After giving up three earned runs against Tampa Bay on May 8, Banks’ ERA grew from 2.93 to 4.41. He has lowered his ERA to under four with two clean appearances last week.
Philadelphia is 24-17 and trails the Mets by 2.5 games in the NL East.
A lot of people, including myself, were really down on Tanner Banks heading into this season.
He’s been great, though.
ERA: 2.93
ERA+: 144
WHIP: 0.978
FIP: 2.43— Blake (@BlakeIFox) May 4, 2025
The southpaw played two seasons (2011-12) at Salt Lake Community College after graduating from Riverton High. He finished his collegiate career on the hill with the Utes.
Banks was 4-12 in 29 appearances for the Utes, including 19 starts. He struck out 70 against 31 walks in 113 innings, ending his amateur career with a 5.18 ERA. The Chicago White Sox selected Banks in the 18th round of the 2014 draft. Banks made his MLB debut with the White Sox in 2022.
DaShawn Keirsey Jr. | OF | Utah Utes
MLB – Minnesota Twins
2025 Stats: 27 games | .105 BA | 2 Hits | 0 BBs | 6 Ks
2024 Stats: .154 BA | 2 Hits | HR | RBI | K
Keirsey’s primary contribution to Minnesota has been as a late-inning defensive replacement and occasional pinch-runner. The former Ute has four stolen bases this season despite having only three hits in 31 appearances.
Minnesota is 21-20 and sits fourth in the AL Central.
DaShawn Keirsey Jr. robs extra bases and a run 🤯 pic.twitter.com/BKavjBxKwO
— MLB (@MLB) April 30, 2025
The left-handed former Utah outfielder made his MLB debut in September, playing six games with the Twins. He got off to an inauspicious start, going 1-for-10 in his first four games. Two weeks later, the native of San Diego, CA, launched his first big league home run in his final game of the season.
Keirsey Jr. played 154 games with Utah from 2016 to 2018. After hitting .293 with 30 RBI and 11 stolen bases as a freshman, Keirsey exploded for 33 doubles, seven homers, and 53 RBI over the next two seasons. He hit .327 as a sophomore, then slashed .386/.440/.609 in 50 games as a junior.
MLB scouts took notice with Minnesota selecting Keirsey Jr. in the fourth round (124th overall) of the 2018 MLB player draft.
Paxton Schultz | Pitcher
MLB – Toronto Blue Jays
2025 MLB Stats: 2 Appearances | 0-0 | 4.05 ERA | 6.2 IP | 11 Ks | 2 BB | 1.20 WHIP
2025 MiLB Stats: 4 Appearances | 0-0 | 2.08 ERA | 8.2 IP | 9 Ks | 2 BB | 1.04 WHIP
2024 Stats: 12 Appearances | 1-1 | 4.68 ERA | 25 IP | 35 Ks | 24 BB | 1.72 WHIP
Paxton Schultz’s first major league cup of coffee ended when he was sent back to Triple-A Buffalo on April 27. He played two games with Toronto, giving up six hits and three earned runs in 6.2 innings.
The 6’3 righty became the third player in UVU history to be called up after Mitch Jones and Kam Mickolio. He made his MLB debut for the Toronto Blue Jays on April 20, 2025.
Toronto is 20-20, third in the AL East.
RELATED: Paxton Schultz Makes Record-Setting MLB Debut
Taxi squad ➡️ taxi ride ➡️ Major League mound
Paxton Schultz’s journey to the Majors was a wild ride! pic.twitter.com/nLYHb9ScBK
— MLB (@MLB) April 24, 2025
Shultz appeared in 46 games (30 starts) over three seasons (2017-19) for Utah Valley, finishing his career with a 3-17 record and 4.61 ERA in 209 innings. As a junior in 2019, Schultz threw a career-high 99.1 innings in 15 starts. He ended the year with a 4.08 ERA and tied the single-season program record with 99 punchouts, including a career-high 11 Ks against South Carolina.
Locals In MiLB: Former Utah Valley Pitcher Signs Minor League Deal With Twins
The Milwaukee Brewers drafted him in the 14th round with the 433rd overall pick. He started his minor league career in the Pioneer League with the Rocky Mountain Vibes before being traded to the Blue Jays in May 2021. He made minor league appearances in Vancouver, New Hampshire, and Buffalo.
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