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The University of Utah Athletics
Photo credits: Miles Kennedy/Philadelphia Phillies; Kirsten Schmitt/Milwaukee Brewers; Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins.
Three With Utah Ties Make MLB Opening Day Rosters
3/27/2025 7:58 AM | Baseball
MLB regular season schedule begins Thursday
SALT LAKE CITY – Three alumni of the Utah baseball program have been named to MLB Opening Day rosters with the 2025 season set to get underway on Thursday.
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Left-handed pitcher Tanner Banks made the Philadelphia Phillies active roster, while infielder Oliver Dunn is with the Milwaukee Brewers and outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. earned a spot on the Opening Day roster for the Minnesota Twins.
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A Beehive State native out of Riverton, Utah, Banks began his collegiate career at Salt Lake Community College before spending the 2013-14 seasons with the Utes. He picked up four wins in 27 appearances at Utah, contributing both as a starter and out of the bullpen. Banks was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 18th round of the 2014 MLB Draft and made his big league debut in 2022. He was dealt to Philadelphia at the 2024 trade deadline, combining for 130 career appearances (five starts), a 5-7 record, 3.86 ERA and three saves.
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Dunn spent the 2017-19 seasons at the U and played in 155 games with 153 starts. A .312 career hitter, the homegrown product out of Salt Lake City was a Collegiate Baseball Third-Team All-American, ABCA All-Region and two-time All-Pac-12 selection. He was selected by the New York Yankees in the 11th round of the 2019 MLB Draft after belting out 22 doubles that season plus four triples, three home runs and 28 RBIs. Dunn finished his collegiate career with 117 straight starts. As a rookie with the Brewers in 2024 he played in 41 games with a .221 batting average, two doubles, two triples, one homer and seven RBIs.
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Selected by Minnesota in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB Draft, Keirsey capped his Utah career as an ABCA All-Region selection. He was named All-Pac-12 First-Team and All-Defensive Team each of his three seasons at Utah (2016-18). He tallied 154 career games played with 148 career starts, finishing with a .334 average, 42 doubles, 11 triples eight homers and 83 RBIs. His 23 doubles in 2018 are tied for eighth-most in a season in Utah history. He climbed his way through the Twins minor league system from 2019-24 before making his MLB debut on Sept. 5, 2024. He played in six games with the Twins last season and carries his rookie status into 2025. Keirsey hit .271 in six minor league seasons with 78 doubles, 26 triples, 43 home runs and and 241 RBIs over 479 games.
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Left-handed pitcher Tanner Banks made the Philadelphia Phillies active roster, while infielder Oliver Dunn is with the Milwaukee Brewers and outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. earned a spot on the Opening Day roster for the Minnesota Twins.
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A Beehive State native out of Riverton, Utah, Banks began his collegiate career at Salt Lake Community College before spending the 2013-14 seasons with the Utes. He picked up four wins in 27 appearances at Utah, contributing both as a starter and out of the bullpen. Banks was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 18th round of the 2014 MLB Draft and made his big league debut in 2022. He was dealt to Philadelphia at the 2024 trade deadline, combining for 130 career appearances (five starts), a 5-7 record, 3.86 ERA and three saves.
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Dunn spent the 2017-19 seasons at the U and played in 155 games with 153 starts. A .312 career hitter, the homegrown product out of Salt Lake City was a Collegiate Baseball Third-Team All-American, ABCA All-Region and two-time All-Pac-12 selection. He was selected by the New York Yankees in the 11th round of the 2019 MLB Draft after belting out 22 doubles that season plus four triples, three home runs and 28 RBIs. Dunn finished his collegiate career with 117 straight starts. As a rookie with the Brewers in 2024 he played in 41 games with a .221 batting average, two doubles, two triples, one homer and seven RBIs.
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Selected by Minnesota in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB Draft, Keirsey capped his Utah career as an ABCA All-Region selection. He was named All-Pac-12 First-Team and All-Defensive Team each of his three seasons at Utah (2016-18). He tallied 154 career games played with 148 career starts, finishing with a .334 average, 42 doubles, 11 triples eight homers and 83 RBIs. His 23 doubles in 2018 are tied for eighth-most in a season in Utah history. He climbed his way through the Twins minor league system from 2019-24 before making his MLB debut on Sept. 5, 2024. He played in six games with the Twins last season and carries his rookie status into 2025. Keirsey hit .271 in six minor league seasons with 78 doubles, 26 triples, 43 home runs and and 241 RBIs over 479 games.
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Follow Utah baseball on social media (@utahbaseball).
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