Locals In MLB: Former Cougar Daniel Schneemann Doing It All For Cleveland Guardians

SALT LAKE CITY – Former BYU Cougar Daniel Schneemann has been incredibly versatile defensively and deadly with the bat since making his MLB debut on June 2.

Schneemann doubled on the first big league pitch he saw after being called up to the big leagues by the Cleveland Guardians to open June.

Locals In MLB: Drew Thorpe Makes MLB Debut With Chicago White Sox

Daniel Schneemann just hit his first career HR

By the way, he’s the first player ever to have 1+DRS at 3 different positions their first 2 weeks in the big leagues pic.twitter.com/wfd4fpNwAS

— Fuzzy (@fuzzyfromyt) June 16, 2024

Since debuting, Schneemann has appeared at every defensive position except first base and catcher. He became the first player since 2006 to appear at six different positions in his first six career games.

At the plate, the former Cougar made some swing adjustments over the off-season that have paid dividends since day one. He is slashing .375/.474/.750 with Cleveland and blasted his first big league home run on June 16.

Utah Prep Athletes (1)

Drew Thorpe | Pitcher | Desert Hills HS

MLB – Chicago White Sox

Thorpe looked sharp in his MLB debut against the Seattle Mariners on June 11. The righty scattered three hits while giving up a run in five innings against Seattle before getting roughed up in his second start. Thorpe walked five and gave up six hits in 3.1 innings, getting the hook after allowing seven earned runs to score against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 16. 

The former Desert Hills star had little left to prove at the Double-A level after amassing a sterling 7-1 record with a Southern League-best 1.35 ERA in 60 innings.  

The White Sox are 19-54 and last in the American League Central.

RELATED: Drew Thorpe Traded For Second Time In Three Months

Real rough one for Drew Thorpe yesterday in Arizona:
• 3 1/3 IP, 7 ER, 6 H, 0 K, 5 BB#WhiteSox #Southside #MLB #CWSvsARI pic.twitter.com/04Xao7uYdQ

— Sweet Home Chicago Sports (@SHChicagoSports) June 17, 2024

The White Sox acquired Thorpe during a spring that saw him finish with a 7.45 ERA in 9.2 innings (two starts).

A 2023 second-round pick of the New York Yankees, Thorpe was one of five players sent to the San Diego Padres in return for star outfielder Juan Soto. He split the 2023 season pitching between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset for the Yankees.

2024 MLB Stats: 2 Starts | 0-1 | 8.64 ERA |8.10 IP | 4 Ks | 7 BB | 1.92 WHIP

2024 MiLB Stats: 11 Starts | 7-1 | 1.35 ERA | 60 IP | 56 Ks | 17 BB | 0.87 WHIP

BYU Cougars (2)

Daniel Schneemann | Infielder/Outfielder

MLB – Cleveland Guardians

RELATED: Former BYU Baseball Standout Doubles In MLB Debut

'Daniel Schneemann deserves regular playing time for the Cleveland Guardians' via @fansided https://t.co/zvMZ3LHBRj

— Brandon Adams (@bjadams156) June 18, 2024

The Guardians are 44-25 and hold a five-game lead over Kansas City in the American League Central.

The Cleveland Guardians drafted the lefthanded-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, and 38 runs knocked and ten stolen bases.

Last 7 Games: .375 BA | 6 Hits | HR |  3 RBI | 3 BBs | 5 Ks |

2024 MLB Stats: 10 games | .375 | 9 Hits | 2 2B | 3B | HR | 5 RBI | 5 BBs | 8 Ks

2024 MiLB Stats: 53 games | .294 | 53 Hits | 15 2B | 3B | 10 HR | 39 RBI | 41 BBs | 52 Ks

Michael Rucker | Pitcher

MLB – Philadelphia Phillies

Rucker is returning from what the Phillies called right-hand arterial vasospasm and being placed on the 15-day injured list before the season. The former Cougar made one appearance for Single-A Clearwater before being elevated to Double-A Reading. Rucker has a 3.00 ERA with five strikeouts in three rehab innings.

The Phillies hold a nine-game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the National League East. Their 45-19 record is tied for the best in baseball.

Philadelphia is 48-24 and leads the National League East by eight games over Atlanta.

Rucker played two years in Provo, finishing with a 16-2 record in 29 appearances (22 starts). He went 11-1 in 102.1 innings with a 2.73 ERA as a junior. The Chicago Cubs selected Rucker in the 11th round of the 2016 MLB draft.

2024 MiLB Stats: 3 Games | 0-0 | 3.00 ERA | 3 IP | 5 Ks | BB

Career Stats: 3 Yrs | 96 appearances | 5-2 | 4.91 ERA | 123.1 IP | 120 Ks | 50 BB | 1.39 WHIP

Utah Utes (2)

Tanner Banks | Pitcher | Salt Lake Bruins

MLB – Chicago White Sox

The former Ute and SLCC Bruin holds a 4.32 ERA in June after allowing one run or more to score in three of his seven appearances this month. Banks pitched a scoreless inning around two hits in his most recent appearance against Arizona on June 15.

The White Sox are 19-54 and last in the American League Central.

RELATED: Former Utah High Schoolers Show Personality In White Sox Video

One underrated trade asset for the #WhiteSox is lefty reliever Tanner Banks. He’s averaging 10.3 K/9 and 1.95 BB/9 with an xFIP of 3.16 on the season. His WHIP is 1.27 and he has three more years of control.

— James Fox (@JamesFox917) June 15, 2024

The Riverton High School product played two seasons (2011-12) at Salt Lake Community College before finishing his collegiate career across the valley 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.

Last 7 Games: 1-0 | 8.1 IP | 4.32 ERA | 7 Hits | 9 Ks | BB | 0.96 WHIP

2024 Stats: 27 Games |  1-2 | 2 SV | 33.1 IP | 4.59 ERA | 38 Ks | 7 BBs | 1.29 WHIP

Oliver Dunn | 2B

MLB – (Milwaukee Brewers)

Dunn has settled into a bench role with the first-place Brewers, being used as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement in recent weeks. With one start in June, Dunn has had a difficult time turning his season around at the plate. He is still looking for his first hit of the month after five appearances and five at-bats.

The Brewers lead the NL Central with a 42-30 record.

RELATED: Former Ute Oliver Dunn Has Memorable MLB Debut With Brewers

Oliver Dunn is one of TWELVE @Brewers who made their first career Opening Day roster this season!

The third baseman joined @alannarizzo to share what playing with some of the team's veterans has been like and his early takeaways from the Big Leagues. pic.twitter.com/0eWzKwsD1b

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 10, 2024

Dunn played 155 games for the University of Utah (2017-19), hitting .312 with seven home runs and 78 RBI. As a junior, Dunn hit .366 while safely reaching nearly half his plate appearances.

The New York Yankees selected Dunn in the 11th round of the 2019 MLB draft. Dunn spent 2023 with the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He appeared in 119 games at Double-A Reading last season, slashing .271/.396/.506 while hitting 21 home runs.

Last 7 Games: .143 BA | 1 Hit | RBI | 4 Ks | BB

2024 MiLB Stats: .310 BA | 9 Hits | HR | 3 2B | 3 RBI | 2 SB | 9 Ks | 4 BB

2024 MLB Stats: .221 BA | 21 Hits | HR | 2 2B | 2 3B | 7 RBI | 3 SB | 40 Ks | 6 BB

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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering the Utah State Aggies, Locals in MLB, and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees, Beehive baseball, and Aggie athletics coverage here.

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