Trio Of Utes Crack MLB Opening Day Rosters

SALT LAKE CITY – It is Opening Day across Major League Baseball, and three former Utah baseball stars begin 2025 at the sport’s highest level.

MLB Opening Day marked the beginning of the 2025 season on Thursday, March 27.

Congrats and good luck to our #ProUtes on MLB Opening Day rosters‼️

📰 https://t.co/Br8WvuH3V1#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/XoRMsRg2Cl

— Utah Baseball (@utahbaseball) March 27, 2025

Three-year MLB veteran reliever Tanner Banks remains a left-handed option out of the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen. Oliver Dunn appears on the Milwaukee Brewers Opening Day roster for the second consecutive season. Making his Opening Day debut is DeShawn Keirsey Jr. with the Minnesota Twins.

DaShawn Keirsey Jr. | OF | Utah Utes

MLB – Minnesota Twins

2024 Stats: .154 BA | 2 Hits | HR | RBI | K

Spring Training 2025: .286 | 12 Hits | HR | 8 RBI | 3 SB |

The left-handed former Utat outfielder made his MLB debut in September, playing six games with Minnesota. Keirsey Jr. 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.

DaShawn Keirsey Jr.'s first Major League hit 🥳 pic.twitter.com/ryLfMd9psU

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) September 11, 2024

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.

Tanner Banks | Pitcher | SLCC Bruins & Utah Utes

MLB – Philadelphia Phillies

2024 Stats: 63 Games |  2-3 | 2 SV | 8 HLD | 72.1 IP | 3.98 ERA | 78 Ks | 25 BBs | 1.30 WHIP

Tanner Banks was the beneficiary of a trade deadline deal that sent the southpaw reliever from the worst in baseball, the Chicago White Sox, to the playoff-bound Phillies.

The lefty reliever threw 24.1 innings in 22 appearances with Philadelphia, finishing with a 3.70 ERA and 23 strikeouts. He made one postseason appearance, giving up a run on two hits and striking out two.

RELATED: Tanner Banks Enters First Playoff Chase After Deadline Trade

Tanner Banks – PHI

Key Stat: 3.25 FIP

Banks showed some really good signs with Philly last season. His pitch mix is solid and he was able to limit hard contact very well

He was also above average at limiting walks and getting strikeouts so he really doesn’t have any big issues pic.twitter.com/DWafkjlGC4

— Data Driven Stats (@mlb_advanced3) February 21, 2025

Banks 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.

Oliver Dunn | 2B | Utah Utes

MLB – Milwaukee Brewers

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

A June back injury cost Dunn the remainder of 2024, but may have been a blessing in disguise after the former Ute struggled in his first go-around facing big league pitching.

A spring training roster battle with Vinny Capra brought out the best in Dunn. He slashed .340/.400/.960 with two homers, 12 runs scored, and five stolen bases.

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

Oliver Dunn is hitting .379 with a 1.109 OPS this spring 🥵 https://t.co/fG3ZbCZKps pic.twitter.com/gKmecTwODw

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 11, 2025

The 5’10 lefthanded hitter 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 and reached base in nearly half of 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.

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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.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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Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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