DaShawn Robert Keirsey Jr. (pronounced KER-zee, rhymes with jersey)...Instagram: @dk.breeezy...fiancée, Tori; got engaged in December of 2024 ...grew up in San Diego, Calif. and attended Helix Charter High School in La Mesa, Calif....at Helix, named First-team all-Grossmont Hills League as a senior...named first-team all-East County...hit .333 with seven doubles, three triples, 19 RBI and nine stolen bases as a senior...also had a 3.16 ERA on the mound over 48.2 innings pitched going 5-2 with 51 strikeouts...played in the 2014 Area Code games...also earned first-team all-league and first-team all-county honors as a wide receiver in football...named the 2014 East County Offensive Most Improved player as a senior...played collegiately at the University of Utah from 2016-18, where he had a .334 career batting average, 42 doubles and 11 triples...named to 2018 ABCA/Rawlings West All-Region second team...was three-time first-team All-Pac-12 (2016-18) and three-time Pac-12 All-Defensive Team, becoming Utah’s first selection to the team since the Utes joined the league in 2016...2016 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American...majored in financial planning...debuted in 2024 wearing uniform number 89, switching to 21 during 2024-25 offseason...participated in 2025 Twinsfest at Target Field in January.
2024
Was an invite to Twins spring training, his first official Major League Spring Training of career...reassigned to Minor League camp on March 6 and began season at Triple-A St. Paul...Was Saints’ Opening Day centerfielder on March 30 vs. Columbus...Stole two bases on four different occasions: April 13 vs. Iowa, July 25 vs. Omaha, August 21 vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Aug. 28 at Omaha...Named Twins minor league Player of the Week on May 5, hitting .280 (7-for-25) with six RBI for the Saints...Hit safely in a season-long 14-straight games from May 21-June 30, hitting .391 (25-for-64) with four doubles, four home runs, 18 RBI and a 1.044 OPS in that span...Reached safely five times (6 PA) on May 22 at Buffalo, going 4-for-5 with a double, a walk and four RBI...Placed on Saints 7-day Injured List on May 29 with left calf strain; reinstated on June 22...Hit .368 (14-for-38) with three doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and a .990 OPS in eight June games...Went 4-for-4 and fell a double short of the cycle on August 22 vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre...Hit .348 (32-for-92) with four doubles, three triples, three home runs, 15 RBI, 19 runs scored, 11 stolen bases and a .964 OPS in 24 August games...Stole 15 consecutive bases from July 30-Sept. 22...Named Twins minor league Player of the Week for second time on season on Aug. 4, hitting .320 (8-for-25) with an .850 OPS...Named Twins Minor League Player of the Week for third time on Aug. 25, hitting .474 (9-for-19) with two triples, two home runs, eight RBI and a 1.500 OPS...also earned International League Player of the Week honors for this period...Had contract selected by Twins on Sept. 5 (Max Kepler - IL)...at time of call-up, was one of two Triple-A players in all of Minor League Baseball (Samad Taylor - TAC) with at least 100 hits, 10 home runs and 30 stolen bases...Made Major League debut on Sept. 5 at Tampa Bay, playing the final two innings in centerfield in a Twins 4-3 victory...Recorded first Major League hit on Sept. 10 vs. Los Angeles-AL, an infield single to the right side off Guillo Zuñiga...Appeared in four games for Minnesota and was optioned back to St. Paul on Sept. 14, where he finished the Minor League season...Recorded 134th and final hit of season on Sept. 22 vs. Indianapolis, setting a Saints franchise (Triple-A) record...Hit .363 (33-for-91) with two outs and runners in scoring position for Saints...Hit .304 (93-for-306) with a .849 OPS against right-handed pitching, compared to .279 (41-for-147) with a .798 OPS vs. left-handers while at St. Paul...Led St. Paul in hits (134), runs scored (71), triples (seven) and stolen bases (36), tied for first in doubles (22) and tied for fourth in home runs (14) and walks (48)...Finished tied for first in International League in triples (seven), tied for fifth in RBI (81), hits (133) and stolen bases (36), and sixth in batting average (.300)...Stayed in St. Paul after conclusion of Saints’ season and continued workouts to be ready for Major League club in final week of Twins’ season...Recalled by Minnesota on Sept. 28...Hit first career home run on Sept. 29 vs. Baltimore, a solo shot off Albert Suárez; also his second career hit...Ranked by Baseball America as Fastest Baserunner and Best Defensive Outfielder in Twins system entering 2025
2023
Was in Twins Minor League Spring Training but played several exhibition games for Minnesota, coming from the Minor League side...Began season with Double-A Wichita...Stolen season-high two bases seven times during season...Stole 14-straight bases successfully from May 30-July 23...Hit safely in Minor League career-high tying 13-straight games from June 8-22, hitting .377 (20-for-53) with a 1.131 OPS during that span...Hit .326 (30-for-92) in 23 May games and .356 (31-for-87) in 23 June games...Went 5-for-6 on July 26 vs. Frisco, tying Wichita’s franchise record for hits in a game...Promoted to Triple-A St. Paul on Aug. 3...At time of promotion, was tied for second in the Texas League in triples (five), third in hits (110) and total bases (176), sixth in average (.305) and stolen bases (31), and tied for ninth in extra-base hits (35)...Left Wichita as the club’s all-time stolen base leader with 73 from 2022-23...Named Twins Minor League Player of the Week on Aug. 27, hitting .412 (7-for-17) with one double, one triple, one home run, five RBI, four walks and a 1.289 OPS for the Saints...Combined to hit .294 (144-for-490) with 18 doubles, eight triples, 15 home runs, 61 RBI, 79 runs scored, 50 walks, 39 stolen bases (44 chances), a .366 on-base percentage and an .821 OPS in 130 games between Wichita and St. Paul...Hit .304 (123-for-405) with an .860 OPS vs. right-handed pitching, compared to .247 (21-for-85) with a .638 OPS vs. left-handed pitching...Named finalist for MiLB Defensive Play of the Year after robbing a home run in center field on April 20 at Tulsa...One of three finalists, joining Arizona’s Druw Jones (winner) and Milwaukee’s Monte Harrison...Ranked third in entire Twins organization in stolen bases (39), trailing Yoyner Fajardo (50) and Andrew Stevenson (44)...Also tied for second in triples (eight) with Fajardo, trailing Emmanuel Rodriguez (nine)...Ranked third in total bases (223)...Named by Baseball America as being the best defensive outfielder in the Twins system and fastest baserunner...Also ranked as 22nd best prospect in Twins organization by Baseball America entering 2024.
