Locals In MLB: Is Daniel Schneemann A Potential All-Star in Cleveland?

SALT LAKE CITY – Is former BYU Cougar baseball star Daniel Schneemann worthy of All-Star consideration with the Cleveland Guardians? Fresh off a rookie season in which his glove and defensive versatility were his calling card, Schneemann is putting it all together in year two.

After slashing .243/.349/.473 and providing Gold Glove caliber defense all over the diamond in May, the Guardians fan base is starting to realize Schneemann is a potential piece for the future.

Locals In MLB: Tanner Banks Steadies Phillies Amidst Bullpen Upheaval

This was some incredible concentration by Daniel Schneemann to turn a 4-3 double play. pic.twitter.com/njKPdbNs1x

— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) May 27, 2025

Now the Guardians’ primary second baseman, he launched five of his seven homers and drove in 12 runs. Schneemann showed a keen eye at the plate, drawing 12 walks against 16 punchouts in the month.

Schneeemann has made appearances at all three outfield positions, as well as third, short, and 38 appearances at second.

Daniel Schneemann | Utility | BYU Cougars

MLB – Cleveland Guardians

2025 Stats: 49 games | .254 BA | 21 Hits | 10 2B | 2 3B | 7 HRs | 18 RBI | 4 SBs | 17 BBs | 37 Ks

Last 15 Games: .233 BA | 10 Hits | 2 HR | 6 RBI | 6 BBs | 9 Ks

Cleveland has fallen 6.5 games behind the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers. The Guardians are 33-27, third in the division.

Daniel Schneemann brings the @CleGuardians within a run with a clutch 3-run homer ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/hLJG9tZt2E

— MLB (@MLB) May 27, 2025

Despite an underwhelming performance at the plate, first-year manager Stephen Vogt was confident putting Schneemann in the lineup at nearly any position.

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.

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.

Justin Sterner | Pitcher | BYU Cougars

MLB – Athletics

2025 Stats: 29 Games | 1-3 | 4.28 ERA | 27.1 IP | 30 Ks | 14 BBs | 1.43 WHIP

Last 15 Games: 0-3 | 9.24 ERA ERA | 12.2 IP | 12 Ks | 5 BBs | 1.89 WHIP

Eight earned runs in his past four appearances have ballooned Sterner’s ERA from 1.78 to 4.28. Three earned against Houston and Toronto in a four-game span left the former Cougar pitcher searching for answers as the A’s standings free-fall continues.

Last in the AL West, the Athletics are 1-9 in their past ten games, falling to 23-40 overall. They trail the Houston Astros by 11 games.

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.

Tanner Banks | Pitcher | SLCC Bruins & Utah Utes

MLB – Philadelphia Phillies

2025 Stats: 26 Games |  1-0 | 27 IP | 3.67 ERA | SV | 31 Ks | 5 BBs | 0.93 WHIP

Last 15 Games: 1-0 | 3.52 ERA | 15 IP | SV | 19 Ks | BB | 0.63 WHIP

The former Ute and Bruin allowed just nine hits but six earned runs across 13 May appearances. Banks’ role has become vital in a bullpen with only him and Matt Strahm remaining as left-handed options after Jose Alvarado’s 80-game PED suspension.

The Phillies have fallen on hard times recently, dropping six of their past ten games. Philadelphia is 37-24, 1.5 games behind the New York Mets.

Tanner Banks has turned himself into one of the best relievers in baseball in a key area for the #Phillies. #RingTheBell
Sorry below ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/EijNYAkAq2

— PHILLIES TBOH (@FS_TBOH) June 2, 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: 42 games | .121 BA | 7 Hits | HR | 4 RBI | BBs | 20 Ks | BB  | 5 SB

Last 15 Games: .143 BA | 5 Hits | HR | 4 RBI | 13 Ks | BB

Keirsey Jr. was optioned to the Triple-A St. Paul Saints on May 31 after slashing .143/.189/.229 with 13 strikeouts in 35 at-bats.

The Twins are 34-27 and sit six games behind the division-leading Detroit Tigers.

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.

Porter Hodge | RHP | Cottonwood Colts

MLB – Chicago Cubs

2025 Stats: 21 games | 2-1 | 5.12 ERA | 19.1 IP | 2 SV | 19 Ks | 11 BBs | 1.50 WHIP

Last 15 Games: 2-1 | 6.59 ERA | 13.2 IP | 2 SV | 13 Ks | 8 BBs | 1.54 WHIP

Hodge hit the 15-day injured list with a left oblique strain on May 18.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell told MLB.com‘s Jordan Bastion on Saturday, May 31, that the original oblique issue has resolved, but the right-hander is now dealing with a left hip issue.  The franchise hopes Hodge can progress to throwing off a mound sometime in the next week.

“Porter’s doing well,” Counsell said. “The oblique is kind of resolved. It’s his left hip that’s bothering him right now. That’s, frankly, slowed him down. We’re good on the oblique. So we’re trying to get through that right now. We’re making progress.”

The Cubs lead the NL Central by four games over the Cardinals. Chicago is 38-23 overall.

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.

Paxton Schultz | Pitcher

MLB – Toronto Blue Jays

2025 MLB Stats: 4 Games | 0-0 | 1.84 ERA | 14.2 IP | 20 Ks | 4 BB | 1.09 WHIP

2025 MiLB Stats: 9 Games | 1-3 | 3.4 ERA | 20.2 IP | 22 Ks | 7 BB | 1.16 WHIP

Schultz made his first big league start on May 28 against the Texas Rangers. He gave up one hit and struck out four without allowing a walk in 2.2 innings

Toronto is third in the AL East, 5.5 games behind the New York Yankees with a 32-29 record.

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.

The Milwaukee Brewers drafted him in the 14^th round with the 433^rd 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.

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.

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Brian Preece is a KSLSports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24. 

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