Locals In MLB: Following Nine Former Beehive State Stars In Big League Camps

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 mph

Keep 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

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.

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