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'He just never ever stops': Daniel Schneemann's resolve, wife key his journey to Guardians

Daniel Schneemann worked as a delivery driver for Uber Eats to make ends meet as he trudged through the minor leagues. The sacrifice eventually paid off. For a little more than a year, Schneemann has been living his Major League Baseball dream with the Guardians. The accomplishment required an unconventional marathon to become a reality. Advertisement 'I just love the game,' Schneemann told the Beacon Journal. 'That's kind of what kept me going, even through my struggles.' Daniel Schneemann's wife Allie Hancock-Schneemann helps him navigate MLB journey Schneemann's wife, Allie Hancock-Schneemann, also played a vital role. They met as freshmen at Brigham Young University, where he played baseball and she played softball. They were married in 2019. Schneemann, 28, still spends his offseasons training with BYU baseball, and Hancock-Schneemann is an assistant softball coach at the school. The couple has a 2-year-old girl, Kendall, and is expecting another daughter in late August. Advertisement When Hancock-Schneemann isn't coaching, she's often traveling to attend Guardians games. She has visited Akron in the past because Schneemann's five-plus seasons in the minors included time with the Double-A RubberDucks in 2021 and 2022. 'She's been more supportive than anyone could have been throughout my journey,' Schneemann said. Cleveland Guardians utility player Daniel Schneemann, BYU assistant softball coach Allie Hancock-Schneemann and their daughter, Kendall, at Progressive Field. Daniel Schneemann's stats show his versatile contribution to the Guardians At age 27, Schneemann made his MLB debut on June 2, 2024, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, and he's been with the Guardians ever since. This season, he's batting .243 with seven doubles, seven home runs, 18 RBIs, five stolen bases, 21 runs and a .755 OPS. A utility man, Schneemann has played primarily second base this year after making most of his 2024 appearances in the outfield and at shortstop. Advertisement A native of Chula Vista, California, Schneemann was drafted by Cleveland in the 33rd round (No. 1,003 overall) in 2018. Earning a roster spot in the majors took him six years. 'It's been something I've been trying to achieve my whole life, and I'm just glad I'm here,' he said. Guardians news: 'It's baby steps': Lane Thomas returns from injury as Cleveland looks for offensive help Cleveland Guardians utility man Daniel Schneemann and his wife, Allie Hancock-Schneemann, when they played for BYU baseball and softball, respectively. Hancock-Schneemann began her college softball coaching career as a volunteer assistant after her final season as a player in 2019 and didn't receive a salary until the fall of 2021. During two offseasons before his wife's promotion, Schneemann delivered food and taught hitting lessons in Provo, Utah, where they reside. Advertisement Enduring those times has made Schneemann's Guardians experience even sweeter. 'I knew that he wasn't going to stop until he made it, and now that he's made it he's set another goal to stay here,' Hancock-Schneemann said by phone. 'He's going to do everything he can to stay up where he's at and contribute to the team.' Guardians second baseman Daniel Schneemann turns a fifth-inning double play against the Milwaukee Brewers, May 12, 2025, in Cleveland. Amid Cleveland's up-and-down 2025 season, Schneemann has repeatedly provided a bright spot. The Guardians (35-35) could use more of it as they seek a turnaround. 'I know what type of defender he was at BYU, and that was kind of his calling card,' BYU baseball coach Trent Pratt, Schneemann's hitting coach in college, said during a phone interview. 'Offensively, he just kept getting bigger and stronger. Advertisement 'You just kind of have those kids that don't quit. They're going to find a way, and that's kind of how he's always been. He wasn't a big recruit out of high school. He came here, he works like crazy and got better every year.' Guardians infielder Daniel Schneemann throws to first base falling on a fifth-inning infield single by Alec Bohm, May 11, 2025 in Cleveland. A former standout a first base, Hancock-Schneemann has been there to toss baseballs to her husband in batting cages and hit him ground balls for fielding drills. Having someone who can listen and relate might be even more valuable. 'She's helped me with a lot of things, especially mentally staying positive,' Schneemann said. More Cleveland Guardians coverage: 'The evolution of a starting pitcher': Gavin Williams' cutter usage a key aspect to 2025 BYU assistant softball coach Allie Hancock-Schneemann, Cleveland Guardians utility man Daniel Schneemann and their daughter, Kendall, at Huntington Park when Schneemann played for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. Before Hancock-Schneemann began dating Schneemann when they were BYU sophomores, he told her he had planned for baseball to be his future, and he didn't have a contingency in mind, either. His focus never wavered. Advertisement 'Ever since then, I just knew that he was going to make it,' Hancock-Schneemann said. 'And there was a couple years in the minors where he really struggled, and I'm sure a lot of people were like, 'Oh, I don't know if this dude's going to make it, or is he going to quit?' But I always knew deep down that he was going to make it. 'Because I played a similar sport and coach that sport still, I understand how much time has to be put into it, and I know that there's going to be ups and downs, so I was able to be patient through all the downs of the grind of the minor leagues. I was just able to understand that because of playing softball and how much of a failure sport it is.' Guardians second baseman Daniel Schneemann tags out Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford in the fourth inning, June 14, 2025, in Seattle. COVID-19, injury added challenges to Daniel Schneemann's path to the Guardians Reasons for doubt emerged along the way. Advertisement The COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 minor-league season. Then, in July 2021, Schneemann suffered a season-ending right hand injury with Akron and underwent surgery. He needed pins inserted into his wrist, Hancock-Schneemann said. 'It was definitely stressful,' Hancock-Schneemann added. 'There were a lot of times where he was just super frustrated with how everything was going. 'But … as soon as he was allowed to do stuff with his wrist, he was right back at it early in the offseason, grinding it out, so he just never ever takes a break. As soon as the season's over, I'm like, 'Let's go on vacation. Let's take a little break.' And he's like, 'Nope.' He just never ever stops. It's kind of crazy.' Guardians second baseman Daniel Schneemann rounds the bases after an eighth-inning solo home run at the Washington Nationals, May 6, 2025. Still, a breakthrough was far from guaranteed. A turning point occurred after Schneemann returned from injury and struggled in 2022. He decided to gain about 25 pounds in the buildup to the 2023 season. Advertisement 'He just said, 'I need to hit for more power. I'm going to take this offseason super seriously with what I eat,'' Hancock-Schneemann said. 'He always took it super seriously baseball-wise, like hitting and doing all that stuff. 'But that was the first time where he was like, 'I'm going to take it super seriously with what I eat and have a meal plan and gain a bunch of weight and change the way I work out.' He made a lot of changes, and it was noticeable.' Guardians second baseman Daniel Schneemann looks on during an at-bat in the first inning against at the Detroit Tigers, May 24, 2025. The improvement Schneemann demonstrated with Triple-A Columbus led him to the Guardians. Nowadays, when Schneemann toils at BYU in the offseason, his old coach uses him as an example. Advertisement 'It's good for our players to see,' Pratt said. 'I tell them, 'Hey, you guys think you want to be a big leaguer? Watch how he works every day. He's here more than you guys. He's at the field the whole time.' 'It's good for our players to see a story like him and see a kid like that and what he went through. It's like, 'Man, you can get to the big leagues.' He's a prime example of that. It wasn't easy for him.' Yet, perseverance ultimately allowed Schneemann to go from moonlighting for Uber Eats to sticking with the Guardians. Cleveland Guardians schedule The Guardians have lost nine of their past 12 games and are coming off a 3-0 series defeat at the Seattle Mariners. They'll begin a three-game series at the San Francisco Giants on June 17 and a three-game series at the Athletics on June 20 before returning home to face the Toronto Blue Jays on June 24. Advertisement Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@ On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich . This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Daniel Schneemann sticks with Guardians as softball coach wife assists