Locals In MLB: Following Nine Former Beehive State Stars In Big League Camps
Feb 26, 2024, 2:38 PM | Updated: 2:40 pm
MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 20: The Chicago Cubs run on the agility field during a spring training workout at Sloan Park on February 20, 2024 in Mesa, Arizona.
SALT LAKE CITY – Spring training is a new beginning. A proving ground for young players looking to catch the eye of a big-league coach or scout in hopes of finding their name on the Opening Day roster.
A quick look across the Beehive state, and you’ll find nine players in Major League camps that hope to earn a coveted 26-man roster spot on Opening Day.
RELATED: Seven Cougars, Six Utes Headline Utahns In Pro Baseball
🧵@MLB Spring Training is here. This season @bpreece24 will keep you updated on #LocalsInMLB.
To kick things off, here's some players with locals ties to watch. https://t.co/yKv7L26Wrx pic.twitter.com/CnZ21KuzoT
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) February 23, 2024
BYU Cougars
Michael Rucker | Pitcher
MLB – Philadelphia Phillies
Rucker spent the past three seasons pitching out of the Chicago Cubs bullpen but was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies after being designated for assignment by the Cubs during the offseason.
Rucker has yet to make his Phillies Spring Training debut. The first-year Phillies pitcher did have a chance to participate in live BP against Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber.
2/19/24 : Michael Rucker live BP against Kyle Schwarber pic.twitter.com/6lJfOmEc2M
— PhilliesBaseballFan.com (@s_m_potter) February 19, 2024
RELATED: Former BYU Hurler Traded To Phillies
2023 Stats: 2-1 | 4.91 ERA | 40.1 IP | 40 Ks | 19 BB | 1.438 WHIP
Career Stats: 3 Yrs | 96 appearances | 5-2 | 4.91 ERA | 123.1 IP | 120 Ks | 50 BB | 1.39 WHIP
Utah Utes (3)
Porter Hodge | Pitcher | Cottonwood HS
Double-A Tennessee – (Chicago Cubs)
He made his first spring appearance, closing out the Cubs’ 8-1 win over the Chicago White Sox. Hodge allowed one hit and one walk and struck out one in one inning of work.
Game #4 coming up today!! Let’s highlight another pitcher that could make a splash in the next few years for the #Cubs 🚨
Porter Hodge:
-23 yr old
-Drafted from high school
-6’4 230lbs
-AA prospect 6-7 record 2023
-103 SO 80 inn pitched 👀
-touches 96 mphKeep going bro!! 🐻 pic.twitter.com/mzeIRClghr
— Just Another Year Chicago: Cubs (@JAYChiCubs) February 26, 2024
Hodge was added to Chicago’s 40-man roster during the offseason.
2023 Stats: 6-7 | 5.13 ERA | 80.2 IP | 103 K | 49 BB | 1.401 WHIP
Oliver Dunn | 2B
Double-A – (Milwaukee Brewers)
Dunn opened spring training by hitting an RBI triple against the San Diego Padres. He is 1-4 with a walk and two strikeouts in two games this spring.
Think you have to have Oliver Dunn on the roster on Opening Day. His speed is crazy 🤯 pic.twitter.com/BVI9YOsw7l
— Cønnør (@BernienChompz) February 24, 2024
2023 Stats: .271 BA | 113 Hits | 21 HR | 78 RBI | 16 SB | 139 K | 82 BB
Tanner Banks | Pitcher | Salt Lake Bruins/Riverton HS
MLB – (Chicago White Sox)
The Chicago White Sox selected the 6’1 lefthander in the 18th round of the 2014 draft. Banks made his MLB debut with the White Sox in 2022. Banks is still waiting to make his 2024 spring training debut.
Shoving in our tie dye Shoving University tee. Pop over to our Instagram page, check out our last post for a chance to win a tee👊🏻
Tanner Banks dialing in before @whitesox spring training starts🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/tPBmzvQC63— rakebsbl (@rakebaseballco) February 12, 2023
Career Stats: 2 Yrs | 67 Games | 3-4 | 3.79 ERA | 114 IP | 51 K | 34 BB | 1.23 WHIP
Other Utah Colleges (2)
Logan Porter | Catcher | Utah Tech Trailblazers
MLB – Kansas City Royals
Porter is a non-roster invitee in Major League camp with the Royals this spring. He has yet to appear in a spring training game.
2023 Stats: 11 games | .194 BA | 6 hits | HR | 3 RBI
Joe Barlow | Pitcher | Salt Lake Bruins/Riverton HS
MLB – Chicago White Sox
Barlow signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox as a free agent following the 2023 season. He made his first appearance of the spring in the White Sox 8-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Friday, February 23. He walked one batter in one inning of work.
2023 Stats: 1-1 | 4.66 ERA | 9.2 IP | 6Ks | 1.55 WHIP
Career Stats: 3 Yrs | 79 Games | 4-4 | 3.05 ERA | 73.2 IP | 61 K | 27 BB | 1.0 WHIP
Utah Prep Athletes (3)
Ky Bush | Pitcher | Fremont HS
Double-A Birmingham – (Chicago White Sox)
Bush was traded to the Chicago White Sox organization at the July trade deadline in 2023, finishing the season at Double-A Birmingham. The left-hander is in camp as a non-roster invitee but has yet to make his 2024 spring debut.
I’m excited to see what Ky Bush does this year for the @whitesox if you’re a local baseball junkie, this is the guy to root for. https://t.co/06vKmEgjo5
— Ryan Cowley (@RCAggie) February 24, 2024
RELATED: Former Fremont Pitcher Takes Center Stage At MLB Futures Game
2023 Stats: 6.91 ERA | 4-8 | 17 games | 71.2 IP | 78 K | 37 BB | 1.647 WHIP
Payton Henry | Catcher | Pleasant Grove HS
Triple-A Buffalo – (Toronto Blue Jays)
The right-handed hitting Henry is in major league camp with the Blue Jays as a non-roster invitee. He is 2-2 this spring with a run scored and an RBI in his lone appearance.
After an error by Toronto to turn the score to 10-1, Payton Henry plates a run on a single
10-2 #Yankees
Top 7th
Bases loaded, no out#BlueJays— Blue Jays Corner (@TOJaysCorner) February 25, 2024
2023 Stats: .294 BA | 9 HR | 35 RBI
Drew Thorpe | Pitcher | Desert Hills HS
TBD – (San Diego Padres)
A 2023 second-round pick of the New York Yankees, Thorpe was one of five players sent to the San Diego Padres in a trade return for star outfielder Juan Soto.
Thorpe is in major league camp with the Padres as a non-roster invitee. He made his Padres debut against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, February 25, striking out one in one inning work.
What was Drew Thorpe doing when he was traded from the Yankees to the Padres in the Juan Soto deal?
Thorpe: "I was actually on a plane…so I missed both the GM's calls." pic.twitter.com/fVDAph34HC
— Sammy Levitt (@SammyLev) February 17, 2024
2023 Stats: 2.52 ERA | 14-2 | 139.1 IP | 182 K | 38 BB | 0.983 WHIP
Follow Locals in Pro Baseball With KSL Sports
Brian Preece is a KSLsports.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.
KSL Sports coverage of Locals in MLB can be found here.
