​Even though only about 50 men born in Utah have ever reached the majors, there’s enough untapped talent to assemble a mythical dream team made up of players born in Utah or who attended high school there; college MLB products, by contrast, tell a different story. With a nod to the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia next week, here is one writer’s Utah dream team, listed by birthplace or Utah high school affiliation and the years they spent in the majors.
Catcher: John Buck (Taylorsville High; 2004-2014) — Buck was born in Wyoming and was drafted in the seventh round out of high school by the Houston Astros in 1998. He worked his way through the minors and made his major-league debut on June 25, 2004, with the Kansas City Royals after being traded there the day prior. Buck later played for the San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, Miami Marlins, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, and Los Angeles Angels. He earned an All-Star nod in 2010—the only season he spent with the Blue Jays. Buck finished his career with 134 home runs and a .234 batting average.
First base: Chris Shelton (Salt Lake City; 2004-2009) — A Cottonwood High graduate who attended Salt Lake City Community College and the University of Utah, Shelton was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 33rd round. Despite the long odds often faced by players drafted that late, he carved out several years in the majors. Shelton hit 14 of his first 20 at-bats and 24 of his first 51, with 13 home runs to start his major-league journey. He was known for his early power surge, slugging nine homers in his first 13 games. Over his major-league tenure, he totaled 930 at-bats—third-most among Utah-born players to reach the majors.
Second base: Glenn Hubbard (Ben Lomond High; 1978-1989) — Born in Germany to a military family, Hubbard grew up in California before his family settled in the Ogden area. He logged 4,441 at-bats in the major leagues, primarily with the Atlanta Braves and Oakland Athletics, posting a lifetime average of .244 and 70 home runs. Hubbard earned an All-Star selection in 1983 after a career-high 12 homers. His longevity and consistency made him a standout on Utah’s all-time major-league roster.
Third base: Vance Law (Provo High; 1980-1991) — Born in Idaho, Law was drafted out of Brigham Young University by the Pittsburgh Pirates, the same team that his father, Vern Law, pitched for in 1960 during their World Series championship run. Law enjoyed a 14-year professional career, with 10 seasons spent in the majors, primarily as a second baseman and third baseman. He was a regular on the 1983 Chicago White Sox who won the division and on the 1989 Chicago Cubs who also captured a division title. After his playing days, Law served as the BYU baseball coach from 2000 to 2012, further contributing to Utah’s baseball legacy and helping to cultivate local talent for the next generation.