The Kansas City Royals have been part of Major League Baseball since 1969, when they were founded as an expansion team. Over the years, they have become a beloved franchise in their home town of Kansas City and across baseball fans everywhere. With four World Series titles under their belt, the Royals are always aiming to bring more championships back to Missouri with a talented roster that includes some of the game’s biggest stars today. From exciting regular season games at Kauffman Stadium to thrilling post-season matchups against rival teams around the league, there is no shortage of fun for any fan looking to experience America’s pastime from one its most storied franchises – The Kansas City Royals.
1. George Brett
Infielder
Career
- 13× All-Star (1976–1988), World Series champion (1985), AL MVP (1980), ALCS MVP (1985), Gold Glove Award (1985), 3× Silver Slugger Award (1980, 1985, 1988), 3× AL batting champion (1976, 1980, 1990), Kansas City Royals No. 5 retired, Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
George Brett is a third baseman and designated hitter who played for the Kansas City Royals from 1973 to 1993. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.
George Brett had an incredible career, hitting over .300 with 3154 hits, 317 home runs and 1,596 RBIs. In 1987 he led the American League in batting average and won his first MVP award.
He also played for teams such as Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox before retiring after the 1993 season。 George Brett was one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, and he helped lead the Kansas City Royals to three World Series titles.
He won AL MVP awards in 1980 and 1985, as well as a Gold Glove Award in 1985. Brett also hit over 300 home runs during his career, which is an MLB record for most homers by a position player.
George Brett retired from playing baseball after the 1993 season, which marked the end of an incredible 17-year career that included 13 All-Star appearances and 3 batting championships.
Also Played For: national baseball hall of fame and museum
2. Salvador Pérez
Catcher
Career
- 7× All-Star (2013–2018, 2021), World Series champion (2015), World Series MVP (2015), 2× All-MLB First Team (2020, 2021), 5× Gold Glove Award (2013–2016, 2018), 4× Silver Slugger Award (2016, 2018, 2020, 2021), AL Comeback Player of the Year (2020), MLB home run leader (2021)[a], AL RBI leader (2021), , MLB records, , Most home runs by a catcher, single season (48)
Salvador Pérez was born on May 10, 1990 in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela. Perez played for the Royals from 2011-2015 and hit .268 with 1,274 hits in his career.
Perez is currently a catcher for the Minnesota Twins organization and has played in 256 games over 5 seasons (2013-2018). Salvador Pérez is married to Jessica Rivera and they have one child together - a daughter named Ayden Grace who was born in 2018.
Salvador Pérez is a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion with the Kansas City Royals. He led the American League in home runs and RBI in 2021, becoming just the fourth catcher ever to do so. Perez was born in the Dominican Republic but raised in Miami, Florida.
After playing for various minor league teams, he made his Major League debut with Kansas City in 2011 at age 24 and has since played for them exclusively.
Also Played For: venezuela baseball
3. Willie Wilson
Career
- 2× All-Star (1982, 1983), World Series champion (1985), Gold Glove Award (1980), 2× Silver Slugger Award (1980, 1982), AL batting champion (1982), AL stolen base leader (1979), Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Willie Wilson was one of the most decorated players in Royals history. He won three Gold Gloves and two World Series titles. Willie Wilson was famously switch-hitting, which made him an effective all-around player.
After playing for Kansas City from 1976 to 1984, he signed with Chicago Cubs in 1985 and ended his career there a few years later. In total, Willie Wilson played 18 seasons in the major leagues and amassed 964 hits along with 233 home runs and 781 RBIs.
Willie Wilson was a powerful and successful player in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He won two All-Star games and led the AL in stolen bases twice, while also winning a Gold Glove Award.
Willie's career ended abruptly after he was traded to Oakland at the height of his powers, but he is now widely regarded as one of baseball's all-time great players.
4. Bret Saberhagen
Pitcher
Career
- 3× All-Star (1987, 1990, 1994), World Series champion (1985), 2× AL Cy Young Award (1985, 1989), World Series MVP (1985), Gold Glove Award (1989), MLB wins leader (1989), AL ERA leader (1989), Pitched a no-hitter on August 26, 1991, Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Saberhagen was a dominant pitcher in the late 1980s and early 1990s, posting a record of 167-117 with an ERA of 3.34. He is best known for his performance as a member of the Boston Red Sox, where he helped lead them to their first championship in 86 years in 1996.
Saberhagen also played for the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim during his career. Bret retired from professional baseball after playing just one season with the Detroit Tigers in 2001 at age 38 due to injuries sustained while pitching on Opening Day that year.
After retiring from baseball, Saberhagen has pursued other interests including working as a sports analyst for ESPN and FOX Sports 1 and serving as ambassador for Major League Baseball's charitable arm MLB Foundation/Operation Pitch In Bret Saberhagen is a three-time all-star and two time AL Cy Young Award winner.
He was also on the World Series Champion Kansas City Royals in 1985. Bret pitched a no hitter against the Oakland Athletics on August 26, 1991.
5. Alex Gordon
Left fielder
Career
- 3× All-Star (2013–2015), World Series champion (2015), 8× Gold Glove Award (2011–2014, 2017–2020), 2× Platinum Glove Award (2014, 2020), Golden Spikes Award (2005), Dick Howser Trophy (2005)
Alex Gordon was born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1984. He made his MLB debut for the Kansas City Royals in 2007 and has since played for them, as well as the Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox, and now the Kansas City Royals again.
In total he's batted .257 with 190 home runs and 749 RBIs in 1036 games. Alex Gordon is a left fielder who throws right-handed.
He will finish his career with the Kansas City Royals at some point after 2020 season concludes. Alex Gordon is a three-time all-star and world series champion with the Kansas City Royals.
Alex Gordon was one of the best defensive third basemen in baseball for many years, earning eight gold gloves and two platinum gloves. In 2005, he won the Dick Howser Trophy as college baseball's most outstanding player.
Gordon played for Team USA at the World University Championship in 2004 and helped lead them to victory over Taiwan in the final round of competition.
After graduating from Wichita State University, where he starred as both a pitcher and third baseman, Gordon made his MLB debut with KC on July 8th 2007 against Texas Rangers (1-for-3 with an RBI).
He quickly established himself as one of top players in Royals' lineup alongside Carlos Beltran, Mike Moustakas and Billy Butler averaging almost 34 HRs/130 RBIs between 2009–2013 making him one of deadliest hitters during this period along wih teammate Salvador Perez who averaged 28 home runs per season during that same time frame.
With strong performances throughout playoffs reaching 3rd place consecutively (2010–2012) and gaining fans support around MLB which led up to the 2014 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP when they finally beat.
St Louis Cardinals thanks to a dominant pitching performance by starting pitchers Johnny Cueto, Yordano Ventura & James Shields while also putting pressure on batsman by playing stellar defense behind plate allowing only 2 earned runs over entire championship series8.
The following year (2015), proved even more successful as they once again reached WS defeating Chicago Cubs after trailing 3 games to 1 but it was not easy - losing game.
After blowing late leads both at home & away9 culminating with a heartbreaking walk-off win 10in Game 7 11against Cleveland Indians12 being named MVP13of championship team14 , finishing his career having achieved everything possible including 4x All Star 15& National League Most Valuable Player 16 honors.
6. Zack Greinke
Pitcher
Career
- 6× All-Star (2009, 2014, 2015, 2017–2019), All-MLB Second Team (2019), AL Cy Young Award (2009), 6× Gold Glove Award (2014–2019), 2× Silver Slugger Award (2013, 2019), 2× MLB ERA leader (2009, 2015)
Zack Greinke is a free agent pitcher who has spent his entire MLB career with the Kansas City Royals. In 2016, he led the Diamondbacks to their first playoff appearance in over a decade.
He was born on October 21, 1983 in Orlando, Florida and attended Westminster Christian Academy where he starred as both a pitcher and hitter.
After playing college baseball at UCLA, Greinke made his MLB debut for the Royals in 2004 and quickly established himself as one of the best pitchers in the league.
Over 13 seasons with KC, Greinke went 223–141 with 3.42 ERA while averaging 217 innings per season. His success culminated in him being traded to Arizona during the 2017 season.
where he enjoyed arguably his best year yet by leading D-Backs to their first postseason appearance since 2011 which they eventually lost to Houston Astros in 5 games.
Also Played For: reno aces
7. Kevin Appier
Career
- All-Star (1995), World Series champion (2002), AL ERA leader (1993), Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Appier was a pitcher in the MLB for over a decade. He had success with the Kansas City Royals, but his career came to an end with the team in 2004. Appier is most well-known for his successful years with the Royals, where he amassed 169 wins and 137 losses.
His earned run average of 3.74 during this time was good enough for fourth place on the all-time list at that point in his career. After leaving Kansas City, Appier enjoyed some short stints as a starting pitcher elsewhere before retiring from baseball completely after 2004 season.
Outside of baseball, Appier has been involved in coaching and managing several teams throughout Minor League Baseball since 2003 Appier was an All-Star pitcher with the Kansas City Royals from 1993 to 2004.
He led the American League in ERA in 1993 and 1995 and helped lead the Royals to two World Series championships. Appier is a three-time Hall of Fame inductee and has been praised for his leadership skills on and off the field.
8. Mike Sweeney
Career
- 5× All-Star (2000–2003, 2005), Kansas City Royals captain (2003–2007), Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Mike Sweeney is a designated hitter and first baseman who played in the MLB for 14 seasons, from 1995-2010. Sweeney was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 9th round of the 1994 amateur draft.
He made his MLB debut with them on September 14, 1995 and finished his career with Philadelphia in 2010. In total, he hit .246/.306/.430 with 733 hits, 153 doubles, 3 triples, 97 home runs and 521 RBIs in 1,481 games played.
Sweeney has had success as both a designated hitter (career .327 batting average) and first baseman (career .288 batting average).
He won two Silver Sluggers as an outfielder for Kansas City but switched to DH full time after 2001 season due to injuries sustained while playing right field regularly during that time period (.293 career batting average at DH).
His nickname "The Hammer" comes from his power hitting ability - he led all big league hitters twice with 40+ homeruns (39 HRs each in 2005 & 2006), breaking Lou Gehrig's record for most such homers by any player over a 2-year span.
The only other player to do so was Babe Ruth. After retiring as a player following 2010 season, Sweeney served as Phillies' bench coach through 2016 before being fired along with manager Gabe Kapler midway through 2017 campaign.
However it should be noted that Kapler's firing came AFTER poor start which saw team go 20–62 prior to Kapler's dismissal. Sweeney had been originally hired primarily due to positive reputation he brought from successful stint coaching San Francisco Giants' catchers including Buster Posey.
9. Carlos Beltrán
Outfielder
Career
- 9× All-Star (2004–2007, 2009, 2011–2013, 2016), World Series champion (2017), AL Rookie of the Year (1999), 3× Gold Glove Award (2006–2008), 2× Silver Slugger Award (2006, 2007), Roberto Clemente Award (2013)
Beltrán is a former MLB outfielder who played for the Royals, Astros, and Yankees over his career. In 2017, Beltrán retired after 14 seasons in the majors.
Beltran has a .279 batting average with 2,725 hits and 435 home runs in 1,587 games played. He was an All-Star twice (2002 and 2009) and won three Silver Slugger Awards (2003–2005).
Beltran also led the American League in stolen bases three times (2001–2003). After retiring from baseball in 2017, he became a broadcaster for Fox Sports México covering their Liga MX matches..
Carlos Beltrán is a Hall of Fame outfielder who played for the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals. Carlos Beltrán was an All-Star nine times and won two World Series titles with the St.
Louis Cardinals in 2012 and 2013. In 1999, Beltran became the youngest player ever to win Rookie of the Year honors and he has since appeared in three more All-Star Games (2006–2008).
Carlos Beltrán was born on December 17th, 1973 in Santo Domingo de los Zetas District of Veracruz State in Mexico and raised mainly in Tampico where he began his professional career as a shortstop before converting to center field late into his career with Kansas City Royals organization.
After playing eight seasons with the Mets from 2005-2011 beltran signed a five year deal worth $110 million dollars to play for last place San Francisco giants but only managed 223 at bats over those 5 years before being traded midseason to St Louis cardinals where he finished out his career winning 2 world series titles.
Also Played For: new york mets
10. Amos Otis
Career
- 5× All-Star (1970–1973, 1976), 3× Gold Glove Award (1971, 1973, 1974), AL stolen base leader (1971), Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Amos Otis was a center fielder who played for the Mets, Pirates and Angels. He made his MLB debut in 1967 and had a long career with Pittsburgh, New York and Anaheim.
In 1984 he hit .277 over 159 games for the Pirates but it was his final season in the big leagues. After playing professionally for many years Amos Otis retired in 1990 having amassed 2,083 hits during his career including 292 doubles and 102 home runs.
Amos Otis is now a broadcaster working alongside Keith Hernandez on Fox Sports West broadcasts of LA Dodgers baseball games Amos Otis was a five-time All-Star and three time Gold Glove Award winner with the Kansas City Royals.
He is also one of only two players in history to record at least 1,000 runs and 200 home runs in a career. Amos Otis finished his playing career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1984.
11. Hal McRae
Career
- 3× All-Star (1975, 1976, 1982), 2× World Series champion (1985, 2006), Silver Slugger Award (1982), AL RBI leader (1982), Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Hal McRae was a talented player in his day and is still remembered for his prowess at the plate. He played 16 seasons in the majors, hitting .290 with 2,091 hits and 191 home runs.
Hal managed in the big leagues for nearly four decades after debuting as a player-manager with the Reds in 1968. His 377–473 record included three winning percentages above .500 but also three losing campaigns (one of which he served as interim manager).
In retirement, Hal became an outspoken advocate for mental health issues and addiction awareness, most notably during coverage of baseball’s steroid scandal of the late 1990s.
After spending several years out of sight due to illness,Hal passed away on November 17th at age 77 after complications from surgery Hal McRae was a three-time All-Star and won two Gold Gloves while playing for the Reds.
After his playing days were over, he managed the Royals to back-to-back World Series appearances in 1991 and 1992.
He then spent two seasons as the manager of the Devil Rays before returning to manage the Reds again from 1995 until 1996. Hal McRae then moved on to coach with Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, and Tampa Bay Rays respectively before retiring after 2009 season.
12. Ryan O'Hearn
First baseman
O'Hearn was drafted in the sixth round of the 2012 MLB draft by the Baltimore Orioles. O'Hearn made his debut with the Orioles in 2016 and had a breakout year, hitting .277 with 18 home runs and 58 RBIs.
In 2018, O’Hearn led all first basemen in WAR (Wins Above Replacement) at 2.5 according to Baseball Reference. He also won an American League Gold Glove Award that season.
On November 3rd, 2019, it was announced that O’Hearn had been traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for prospects Josh Stowers and Michael Reed Ryan O'Hearn made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals on July 31st of this year.
He is a left-handed hitter and bats .219 in 73 games played so far this season. Ryan has also recorded 38 home runs and 131 RBIs for the Royals thus far in his career.
Ryan was drafted by the Colorado Rockies back in 2013, but he only played one game for them before being traded to Kansas City later that same year as part of a blockbuster deal involving Ian Desmond and Dexter Fowler.
After spending two seasons with KC, he signed a four-year contract extension with the club prior to this current season which will keep him at Kauffman Stadium until 2022.
13. Danny Tartabull
Career
- All-Star (1991)
Tartabull was a prolific right fielder and designated hitter during his time in the MLB. Tartabull appeared in 12 seasons with six different teams, including four with Seattle Mariners.
His best season came in 1992 when he hit .296/.381/.510 with 34 doubles, 10 triples and 39 home runs for the Philadelphia Phillies. After retiring from baseball, Tartabull became a broadcaster for Fox Sports Florida before joining ESPN as an analyst in 2016.
Danny Tartabull had a successful career in both the major and minor leagues. He was a five-time All-Star, won two Gold Gloves, and finished in the top 10 of MVP voting on three occasions. In the majors, Tartabull played for Seattle Mariners (1984–1986), Kansas City Royals (1987–1991), and New York Yankees (1992–1995).
After leaving MLB he spent time with Oakland Athletics (1995) before ending his playing career with Chicago White Sox (1996).
Danny Tartabull is currently an analyst for MLB Network and Fox Sports 1 covering games from start to finish as well as providing color commentary during select broadcasts throughout the season.
14. Joakim Soria
Pitcher
Career
- 2× All-Star (2008, 2010)
Soria was born in Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico on May 18th of 1984. Soria made his MLB debut for the Kansas City Royals in 2007 and has since played for the Toronto Blue Jays.
He currently holds a record of 36-45 with an ERA of 3.11 and 831 strikeouts in 891 innings pitched. His best season came in 2016 when he posted a 13-10 record with 2 saves and an ERA of 2.92 .
Soria is known as one of the better left handed pitchers in baseball due to his ability to control both sides of the plate while striking out hitters at a high rate.
Due to injuries, Soria will likely finish his career with only 228 saves despite being one of the most effective pitchers over that time period He is an experienced pitcher who has played for several teams throughout his career.
He was a part of the Royals team that won the World Series in 2015. Joakim Soria is known for being tough on hitters and having great control over his pitches. He will be joining the White Sox team this season, and fans are looking forward to seeing what he can do on the field.
15. Jermaine Dye
Career
- 2× All-Star (2000, 2006), World Series champion (2005), World Series MVP (2005), Gold Glove Award (2000), Silver Slugger Award (2006)
Jermaine Dye was born in Oakland, California in 1974. He made his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves in 1996 and spent the next 10 seasons with several other teams before joining the Chicago White Sox in 2009.
In 2007, Jermaine hit .287 with 39 home runs and 115 RBIs for the White Sox. He announced his retirement from baseball after playing one last season for the Detroit Tigers in 2010.
Jermaine is a three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner who ranks fourth all time on Atlanta's career home run list with 232 hits behind Hank Aaron, Ty Cobb, and Stan Musial.
After retiring as a player he has since started working as an analyst for ESPN covering Major League Baseball games live or tape-delayed. Dye is a three-time All Star and World Series Champion, who played for the Atlanta Braves (1996) and Kansas City Royals (1997–2001).
Dye hit over .300 in six of his ten seasons with over 1,000 hits. In 2005, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox where he won another Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger Award while leading the American League in home runs that year with 38.
He finished his career playing for Oakland Athletics from 2001-2004 before retiring at age 37 due to injury complications stemming from a collision at home plate during game 5 of the 2004 ALCS against Boston Red Sox.
16. Eric Hosmer
Infielder
Career
- All-Star (2016), World Series champion (2015), 4× Gold Glove Award (2013–2015, 2017), Silver Slugger Award (2017), All-World Baseball Classic Team (2017)
Eric Hosmer is a free agent first baseman who played for the Kansas City Royals from 2011-2017. In 2017, Hosmer was traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Joe Kelly and Jorge Alfaro.
At 33 years old, Hosmer has plenty of baseball left in him and will look to help lead the Padres back to relevancy in MLB after winning just 59 games over the past three seasons combined with Kansas City and San Diego.
Eric Hosmer is an extremely well-rounded batter with power, speed, and patience at the plate that makes him a dangerous threat anytime he steps into the box..
With 1,733 hits (tied for sixth all time), 197 home runs (seventh all time), 881 RBIs (eighth all time) and a .279 batting average (ninth all time), it's no wonder why Hosmer has been one of baseball's most consistent hitters throughout his career thus far - regardless of where he plays or which team he's on.
Also Played For: san diego padres, fantasy baseball
17. Lorenzo Cain
Outfielder
Career
- 2× All-Star (2015, 2018), World Series champion (2015), ALCS MVP (2014), Gold Glove Award (2019)
Lorenzo Cain is a free agent outfielder who has spent his entire MLB career with the Milwaukee Brewers. Cain had an excellent 2018 season, posting a .270 batting average and 26 home runs in spite of missing time due to injury.
He was originally signed by the Brewers as an undrafted free agent out of Valdosta State University in Georgia in 2010. Cain has been praised for his speed and defensive ability, earning him four Gold Glove Awards throughout his career thus far with Milwaukee.
Lorenzo Cain is a two-time All-Star and World Series champion with the Milwaukee Brewers. He has won several awards including a Gold Glove Award and MVP in 2014, as well as an ALCS championship this year. Lorenzo Cain was born on October 3, 1986 in Decatur, Alabama.
After playing college baseball at Auburn University, he was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 2008 and played for them until 2017 when he moved to Milwaukee.
18. Bo Jackson
Outfielder
Career
- Pro Bowl (1990)
- Heisman Trophy (1985)
- Walter Camp Award (1985)
- SEC Player of the Year (1985)
- Sporting News Player of the Year (1985)
- UPI Player of the Year (1985)
- 2× Consensus All-American (1983, 1985)
- 3× First-team All-SEC (1982, 1983, 1985)
- Auburn Tigers No. 34 retired
Bo Jackson is a retired American football player who was one of the best athletes in history. He played running back for the Auburn Tigers and was drafted by the NFL's Baltimore Colts in 1986.
Bo Jackson became an international icon after his performance at the 1984 Olympic Games, where he won a gold medal as part of the US track and field team.
After retiring from professional football, Bo started his own sports training company which helped many young athletes achieve success in their fields.
In 2011, Bo announced that he had been diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), an incurable neurodegenerative disease, but continues to fight on despite his condition. Today, Bo remains active both inside and outside of athletics – most notably through his work.
The Dream Foundation charity – and continues to inspire others through his candid speaking engagements about living life to its fullest potential no matter what challenges are thrown your way Bo Jackson was a dominant running back in the NFL.
He won several awards, including three Heisman Trophies and two Pro Bowls. His career was cut short by injuries, but he remains one of the most legendary players in NFL history.
19. Bobby Witt Jr.
Third baseman
Bobby Witt Jr. was born on June 14, 2000 in Colleyville, Texas and is 22 years old as of the 2021 season.
The Royals drafted Bobby Witt Jr. with the 7th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft and he made his professional debut that year with their rookie league team, the Burlington Bees.
In 2021, Witt played for Omaha Storm Chasers where he hit .281 with 5 home runs and 37 RBIs in 116 games played.Bobby Witt Jr. made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2022 and has since had a successful career, batting over .
250 with 20 home runs and 80 RBIs. Witt Jr. was born on April 7th, 1992 in Hollywood, Florida and played college baseball at Jacksonville University before being drafted by the Royals in 2016.
He is known for his speed on the basepaths (which he showed to great effect during his rookie year) as well as his powerful hitting ability from both sides of the plate.
Also Played For: mlb under 25
20. Whit Merrifield
Second baseman
Career
- 2× All-Star (2019, 2021), 3× AL stolen base leader (2017, 2018, 2021)
Whit Merrifield is a second baseman and outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the first round of the 2008 MLB draft.
In 2016, he had his best season to date with the Royals, hitting .292 with 14 home runs and 54 RBIs. Injuries have been an issue for Merrifield throughout his career, but he's still managed to produce at a high level when healthy.
Merrifield is set to become a free agent after this season and will likely test the market as a quality starting second baseman or outfield option next year. Whit Merrifield is a versatile player who can play all three outfield positions and shortstop.
Whit Merrifield is having an excellent season in 2019, batting .285 with 1,035 hits and 79 home runs. Whit Merrifield was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 2nd round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
Whit Merrifield made his debut with the Royals on July 8th, 2018 against the Oakland Athletics and has played in every game for them since then except for one due to injury.
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired Whit Merrifield from Kansas City as part of a four-team trade on December 18th, 2021 which also involved the Tampa Bay Rays and Pittsburgh Pirates.
21. Frank White
Career
- 5× All-Star (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1986), World Series champion (1985), ALCS MVP (1980), 8× Gold Glove Award (1977–1982, 1986, 1987), Silver Slugger Award (1986), Kansas City Royals No. 20 retired, Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
- , , , County executive of Jackson County, , Incumbent, , Assumed office, January 11, 2016, Preceded by: Mike Sanders, Fred Arbanas (acting), Personal details, Political party: Democratic,
Frank White was a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner during his 17 seasons in the majors. He played for six teams, including the Kansas City Royals, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants.
In 1990 he hit .255 with 160 home runs and 886 RBIs to finish as runner up in MVP voting behind Tom Brady of the New England Patriots.
After his playing career ended White became a television analyst for MLB on Fox from 1996 to 2004 before moving into public relations roles with several teams including the Yankees and Angels until 2010 when he retired again aged 71 Frank White was the county executive of Jackson County from 1973 to 1990.
During his time as county executive, White oversaw a number of important projects and initiatives, including the construction of hospitals, schools, and roads.
He is also widely credited with helping to revitalize downtown Kansas City during his tenure as county executive. White died in office in 1990 at the age of 63 after a long battle with cancer.
22. John Mayberry
Career
- 2× All-Star (1973, 1974), Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
John Mayberry was a left-handed first baseman who played for the Houston Astros and New York Yankees in his career. He batted .272 with 7 home runs and 33 RBIs in 78 games.
John Mayberry is best known for hitting two home runs in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers to help lead the Astros to their first world championship ever.
After playing parts of four seasons with Houston, John Mayberry signed as a free agent with the Yankees prior to the 1982 season. He played only six more games before retiring at age 36 due to back problems.
John Mayberry has since worked as an analyst on MLB broadcasts, most notably calling play-by-play during Fox's coverage of game seven of The 2003 ALCS between Boston Red Sox and NY Mets which ended in dramatic fashion (the Mets eventually won 4–3).
23. Johnny Damon
Career
- 2× All-Star (2002, 2005), 2× World Series champion (2004, 2009), AL stolen base leader (2000)
Damon batted left and threw right, making him a versatile outfielder. Damon played for the Kansas City Royals from 1995-2002 before being traded to Cleveland in 2003.
Damon had an impressive .284 batting average with 2,769 hits in his MLB career. Damon was named to five All-Star teams and won two Gold Gloves in his time as an outfielder for both teams combined.
After playing eleven seasons in Cleveland, Johnny Damon announced his retirement on August 1st of 2012 at the age of forty-nine years old after appearing in 829 games over thirteen seasons with the Indians and Royals respectively Damon was a four-time All-Star and two-time world Series champion with the Boston Red Sox.
Damon is one of only five players in history to have at least 1,000 runs batted in, 400 stolen bases, and 100 home runs. Damon finished his career with 235 home runs and 1,139 RBIs.
24. David DeJesus
Outfielder
DeJesus is a left-handed outfielder who has played for the Tampa Bay Rays and Kansas City Royals. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 6th round of the 1999 MLB draft.
DeJesus made his MLB debut with the Royals in 2003, batting .266 with 5 home runs and 41 RBIs in 128 games over three seasons before being traded to Tampa Bay as part of a package for Carlos Beltran on July 30, 2006.
In 2008, DeJesus led all American League outfielders with 7 triples while also ranking second among AL players with 137 hits (tied). In 2009, he batted .269 with 26 home runs and 101 RBIs en route to winning both MVP honors and Silver Slugger Awards from multiple organizations (Tampa Bay; Detroit Tigers; Oakland Athletics).
On December 12, 2010, DeJesus signed a five-year contract extension worth $60 million ($30 million guaranteed) with Tampa Bay which would keep him through 2020 season barring injury or decline in performance.
25. Dennis Leonard
Career
- AL wins leader (1977), Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Dennis Leonard is a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals. Dennis Leonard had an impressive MLB career, compiling a record of 116-87 with 2148 strikeouts over 21 seasons.
Dennis Leonard was born on May 8, 1951 in Brooklyn, New York and made his MLB debut with the Royals on September 4th of 1974. In 1990, Dennis Leonard won his only Cy Young Award as he led the league in both wins (24) and ERA (2.12).
After retiring from baseball at the end of the 1996 season, Dennis Leonard became a pitching coach for various teams including.
Toronto Blue Jays and St Louis Cardinals before joining the Los Angeles Dodgers staff as manager during their 2009 campaign which ended up being his last managerial job in professional baseball Dennis Leonard played for the Royals from 1974-1983 and 1985-1986.
In those years, he had a 144-106 win/loss record with an ERA of 3.70 and 1,323 strikeouts. He led the KC team to back to back AL West titles in 1977 & 1978 while being named league MVP in 1978. Dennis is now a member of the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame as well as having his number retired by the organization.
26. Wade Davis
Pitcher
Career
- 3× All-Star (2015–2017), World Series champion (2015), NL saves leader (2018)
Wade Davis is a right-handed pitcher who has played in the MLB for ten seasons. He made his MLB debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009 and has since spent time with the Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, and Detroit Tigers.
Wade Davis was named to three All-Star teams (2012–2014) and won two Gold Gloves (2011, 2014). In terms of awards, Wade Davis has been nominated for three Cy Young Awards (2010–2013), one MVP Award (2015), and one LCS Most Valuable Player Award (2016).
As of 2019 he ranks fourth all time in strikeouts among left-handed pitchers with 2,339. Wade Davis is a veteran pitcher who has played for three different teams in the past five seasons. Wade Davis is known for his excellent strikeout numbers and ability to hold opponents to low runs-per-game averages.
Wade Davis was named World Series champion with the Kansas City Royals in 2015, and he led the NL in saves this season. In nine seasons with Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Chicago and now Colorado, Wade Davis has compiled a 63–55 record with 929 strikeouts and 141 saves.
27. Greg Holland
Pitcher
Career
- 3× All-Star (2013, 2014, 2017), AL Reliever of the Year (2014), NL saves leader (2017), NL Comeback Player of the Year (2017)
Greg Holland made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2010. He has since played for the New York Mets, Colorado Rockies, and now the Houston Astros.
In 2018 he was named an All-Star for the first time in his career. His 30-28 win-loss record makes him one of baseball's most successful pitchers overall.
Despite having a relatively low earned run average (3.14), Greg Holland is known as a reliable pitcher who can keep teams in games almost any time he takes to the mound..
Greg Holland is a relief pitcher for the Kansas City Royals. He was drafted by the Rockies in 2008 and has played with them, as well as the Royals and Cardinals over his career.
He had a strong 2017 season, recording 67 strikeouts and leading the league in saves while helping lead Kansas City to their first World Series appearance since 1985.
Holland is known for being an effective reliever, often finishing games quickly without giving up many runs or hits.
28. David Cone
Pitcher
Career
- 5× All-Star (1988, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999), 5× World Series champion (1992, 1996, 1998–2000), AL Cy Young Award (1994), MLB wins leader (1998), 2× MLB strikeout leader (1990, 1991), Pitched a perfect game on July 18, 1999
David Cone was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball during the 1990s. He led his teams to a record 194 wins in 306 games and finished with an ERA of 3.46, striking out 2,688 batters over that span.
David Cone had some trouble staying healthy throughout his career - he only played in 186 games from 1996-2003 due to various injuries including Tommy John Surgery and a torn rotator cuff..
Despite these setbacks, David Cone is still considered one of the best pitcher's ever by many fans and experts alike for his dominance on the field coupled with durability issues off it David Cone was a dominant pitcher in both the major and minor leagues.
He won five World Series titles with the Toronto Blue Jays, including back-to-back championships in 1992 and 1993. In 1994, he became the first player to win an AL Cy Young Award while also winning MVP honors that season.
After spending time with six different teams over his 18 year career, David Cone retired as one of the most successful pitchers in baseball history.
Also Played For: new york yankees
29. Billy Butler
Designated hitter
Career
- All-Star (2012), Silver Slugger Award (2012)
Butler made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2007. Butler has played for six different teams over the course of his career, including stints with the Oakland Athletics and Chicago White Sox.
In 2015, Butler was traded to the Baltimore Orioles and hit .269/.351/.478 with 13 home runs in 154 games. After hitting just .219/.291/.368 in 2016, Butler was released by the Orioles on March 31st, 2017.
He subsequently signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians later that month but was released after only 10 games due to injury rehabilitation requirements.. Butler is currently a free agent and is likely to sign another minor league contract before joining an MLB team again next season.
Butler was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 2007 and played for them until 2014. In 2015, he signed with Oakland Athletics and had a successful season, hitting 37 home runs and driving in 112 runs.
The Yankees acquired Butler at the trade deadline in 2016 and he has been an important part of their lineup ever since, batting .290 with 147 homers and 728 RBIs.
30. Dan Quisenberry
Career
- 3× All-Star (1982–1984), World Series champion (1985), 5× AL Rolaids Relief Man Award (1980, 1982–1985), 5× AL saves leader (1980, 1982–1985), Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Dan Quisenberry was a pitcher in the Major Leagues for 17 seasons, from 1979 to 1990. He won 123 games and lost 111. His best season came in 1989 when he went 20-8 with a 2.72 ERA and helped the Kansas City Royals make it to the World Series for the first time in 30 years.
However, his career was cut short by injury - he suffered a rotator cuff tear while pitching against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 23, 1990, ending his season prematurely.
Dan Quisenberry is remembered as one of baseball's most effective pitchers during an era when teams were relying more on power hitters than ever before; despite being only 5'10", he managed to keep batters off balance with his deceptive delivery and impressive control over his pitches.
31. Hunter Dozier
Third baseman
Hunter Dozier was born in Wichita Falls, Texas and attended Butler Community College. He was drafted by the Royals in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB draft, and made his debut with them in 2013.
In 2018 he played for Kansas City as a regular third baseman and first baseman/outfielder, batting .269/.330/.461 with 17 home runs and 67 RBIs over 159 games. Hunter is married to Kelsi Dozier and they have two children together – Maddox (born August 2017) and Harper (born February 2019).
Hunter is an active member of both his church congregation in Wichita Falls, Texas, as well as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Hunter Dozier made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in September of 2016. He hit .240 with 71 home runs and 226 RBIs over the course of three seasons with KC.
In 2018, he was traded to Minnesota where he has continued to produce at a high level, posting an .819 OPS in 244 plate appearances thus far this season. Hunter is signed through 2022 with the Twins and should be a key part of their offense for years to come.
32. Larry Gura
Career
- All-Star (1980), Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Larry Gura was a pitcher in the MLB for over 20 years. He had an impressive record, but is best known for his work with the Chicago Cubs. He retired after the 1985 season and now works as a broadcaster for Fox Sports Midwest.
Larry Gura was one of the most successful relief pitchers in baseball history, winning 126 games and 97 losses during his career. He debuted with the Chicago Cubs in 1970 and helped them to World Series titles in 1973 and 1985.
After retiring from playing, he served as a pitching coach for several teams including the Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs.
33. Jarrod Dyson
Outfielder
Career
- World Series champion (2015)
Jarrod Dyson is an outfielder who played for the Kansas City Royals from 2010-2012. After playing college baseball at Clemson, Jarrod Dyson was drafted in the third round of the 2004 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners.
He made his MLB debut with Seattle in 2006 and spent four seasons with them before being traded to Kansas City midway through the 2010 season. In 2012, he hit .276/.357/.433 with 24 home runs and 94 RBI in 156 games for KC; this earned him a Silver Slugger Award nomination that year.
Following his time with KC, Dyson signed a one-year deal worth $8 million with the Washington Nationals prior to the 2013 season but failed to live up to expectations and was released after just 59 games played – marking his fourth DL stint within six years (and fifth overall).
Since then, Jarrod has bounced around between teams - signing a minor league contract with Toronto in 2015 only to be released shortly afterwards; however, he has had more success since joining independent league team OKC Storm as their player/manager in 2018.
34. Freddie Patek
Career
- 3× All-Star (1972, 1976, 1978), AL stolen base leader (1977), Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Freddie Patek was one of the most successful shortstops in MLB history. He played for 10 seasons and had a career batting average of .270 with 171 home runs.
Freddie Patek also excelled as a fielder, winning five Gold Glove Awards. Freddie Patek retired from baseball after the 1981 season, at the age of 38 years old.
After his retirement from baseball, Freddie Patek worked as a color commentator for Angels games on television until 2002. In 2003, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class Freddie Patek was a talented and successful batter in his day.
He compiled a batting average of .242 with 1,340 hits and 490 runs batted in over the course of 10 seasons. Freddie played for three different teams during his career, most notably the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1968 to 1970. In 1971, he signed with the Kansas City Royals where he helped lead them to their first World Series championship.
After spending one year with the Angels (1980-81), Freddie ended his playing days as a member of the California Golden Seals/Anaheim Angels organization.
35. Adalberto Mondesí
Second baseman
Career
- World Series champion (2015), AL stolen base leader (2020)
Mondesí was born in Los Angeles, California on July 27th 1995. Mondesí is a shortstop and made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2015. In 2017, Mondesí led all American League shortstops in fielding percentage (.977).
During the 2018 season, Mondesi played for the Omaha Storm Chasers and hit .286/.358/.518 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs over 123 games played.
As of 2019, Adalberto is playing for the Kansas City Royals where he has hit .252/.293/.402 with six home runs and 23 RBIs over 104 games played this year Mondesí was born in the Dominican Republic on February 14, 1990.
He signed with the Royals as a non-drafted free agent in 2011 and made his MLB debut that year. Mondesí has spent all six of his seasons with Kansas City, appearing in 318 games and hitting .244/.333/.417 with 38 home runs and 157 RBIs.
In 2020, Mondesí became the first player ever to steal 50 bases in a season and led the AL with 52 stolen bases en route to earning MVP honors from Baseball Writers Association of America (BBVA) Awards voters.
On October 20th, 2018 he hit a three run homerun against Houston Astros which helped lift Kansas City over them 5-4 for their first playoff berth since 1985.
36. Mark Gubicza
Career
- 2× All-Star (1988, 1989), World Series champion (1985), Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Gubicza is a pitcher who played in the Major Leagues for over 20 years, most notably with the Kansas City Royals. Gubicza was born on August 14, 1962 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and pitched his first MLB game for the Royals on April 6th of that year.
He went on to make over 1000 appearances in the Majors, posting an overall record of 214-191 (.569). After leaving baseball at the end of 1999 he started coaching for various teams including Wichita State Shockers and Omaha Storm Chasers before taking up a permanent role as pitching coach with the New York Mets in 2006.
In 2008 he became manager of Class A Savannah Sand Gnats where he led them to their first ever South Atlantic League championship win later that season He has also managed overseas including stints with Nippon Professional Baseball's Tokyo Yakult Swallows and Korea Baseball Organization's NC Dinos.
37. MJ Melendez
Catcher
Melendez was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He made his professional debut with the Omaha Storm Chasers, batting .269 with two home runs and 13 RBIs in 51 games.
Melendez spent most of 2019 playing for Class A Advanced Wilmington, hitting a combined .293 with 10 homers and 58 RBIs in 129 games. In 2020, Melendez played for Double-A Northwest Arkansas where he hit .291/.372/.527 with 26 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 107 RBIs in 132 games.
The Royals promoted him to Triple-A Omaha during the middle of August where he finished out the season batting .304/.382/.546 with 27 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs and 101 RBIs overall in 131 games played.
MJ Melendez made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2022. His batting average was .217, and he hit 18 home runs during his rookie season.
He has since established himself as an important player for the team, and has helped them win several championships throughout his career. MJ Melendez is a versatile player who can play all over the diamond, making him difficult to beat on both offense and defense.
He is beloved by fans of the Royals due to his hard work ethic and love of the game, which has led him to become one of the most successful players in franchise history.
38. Kevin Seitzer
Career
- 2× All-Star (1987, 1995), World Series champion (2021), Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor
Seitzer played third base and batting coach for the Atlanta Braves from 1997-2009. He was born on March 26, 1962 in Springfield, Illinois. Seitzer had a brief MLB career with the Kansas City Royals in 1986 and Cleveland Indians from 1987-1997.
Seitzer has spent most of his coaching career with the Atlanta Braves organization since 1997 where he currently holds the position of hitting coach.
Seitzer is a two-time All-Star and world series champion who has been coaching in the majors since 2007.
Seitzer played for the Royals, Brewers, Indians and Braves during his career. He was most recently with the Blue Jays before being named Atlanta's new manager this season. Seitzer is known as an excellent defensive catcher and led all catchers in 2011 with a .989 fielding percentage.
As a player, Seitzer made headlines for his clutch hitting ability including batting .333 in game seven of the 1991 World Series against Oakland to help Kansas City win its first championship title ever.
39. Carlos Hernandez
Pitcher
Carlos Hernandez is a 25-year old pitcher and outfielder for the Kansas City Royals. He was born in Guayana, Venezuela on March 11th 1997 and he has been playing baseball since he was just a little guy.
Carlos had an impressive rookie season with the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2018, posting a 3.24 ERA over 69 innings pitched while hitting .273/.374/.471 with 4 home runs and 20 RBIs.
In 2021, Hernandez made his big league debut with the Kansas City Royals where he posted an 8-5 record with a 2.92 ERA over 117 innings pitched while striking out 143 batters and walking only 23 batters (a 2:1 K/BB ratio).
Carlos is considered to be one of the brightest young pitching prospects in all of baseball and there's no doubt that he will continue to improve as he continues to play professionally.
40. Nick Pratto
First baseman
Nick Pratto is a 24-year old first baseman for the Kansas City Royals. Nick was drafted by the Royals in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He has spent most of his professional career playing with Omaha, where he batted .274 with 89 RBI in 218 games.
In 2021, he made his MLB debut and hit .269 with five home runs and 17 RBI in 68 games for KC. Pratto is known as an excellent defender at first base, having won three Gold Glove Awards while playing for Omaha (2018-2020).
His offensive game is still developing but scouts feel that it has potential to be very good if given more opportunities to develop at the major league level Nick Pratto is a professional baseball player for the Kansas City Royals.
Nick was born in 1995 and grew up playing organized sports including football, basketball, and track & field. In 2015, he made his debut with the Royals' organization after being drafted out of high school by them in the second round of the 2014 MLB Draft.
He has since established himself as one of the top prospects in all of baseball and has already hit 20 home runs this season - which makes him only the third rookie ever to do so. Nick's speed on offense combined with his powerful pitching arm make him an extremely dangerous threat at any point during a game - even against some of today's best hitters.
As one of Major League Baseball's most promising young stars, there is no doubt that Nick will continue to achieve great things both on and off the field in years to come.
41. Jeff Montgomery
Career
- 3× All-Star (1992, 1993, 1996), AL Rolaids Relief Man Award (1993), AL saves leader (1993), Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Montgomery made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 1987 and spent a total of six seasons in the league. In 1999, Montgomery was released by the Kansas City Royals and he has not played professional baseball since.
Jeff currently resides in Wellston, Ohio and works as an insurance salesman. Montgomery is one of only two players to have appeared in both the World Series (with Cincinnati) and All-Star Game (1999). Montgomery enjoyed a successful 10-year career with the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals.
He was an All-Star three times, led the AL in saves twice, and won the Rolaids Relief Man Award in 1993. Montgomery retired after the 1999 season with a 46–52 record and 3.27 ERA in 304 appearances (13 starts).
42. Scott Barlow
Pitcher
Scott Barlow is a pitcher with the Kansas City Royals. He was drafted by the Royals in the 4th round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of New London High School in Connecticut.
In his first full season as a professional, he made 14 starts for Class A Wilmington and went 5-4 with a 3.83 ERA and 87 strikeouts over 85 innings pitched.
His breakout campaign came in 2016 when he made 26 starts for Double-A Northwest Arkansas and finished with an 8-5 record, 2.94 ERA, 111 strikeouts over 106 innings pitched, and was named to Baseball America's midseason All-Star team..
In 2018 he had another strong year making 31 starts between Triple-A Omaha and Kansas City where he finished 10-8 with a 3:24 ERA while striking out 131 batters over 130 innings pitched a career high.
In 2019 Scott has started all 30 games for the defending American League Champion Kansas City Royals....leading them into their second straight World Series appearance.
43. Darrell Porter
Career
- 4× All-Star (1974, 1978–1980), World Series champion (1982), World Series MVP (1982), NLCS MVP (1982), Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor
Darrell Porter was a catcher in the MLB for 10 seasons, from 1971-1987. He played with the Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers. Darrell Porter is best remembered for his batting average of .275 which he achieved while playing with both teams over that time period.
Darrell Porter also had a career-high home run total of 12 during his tenure with the Texas Rangers in 1987. Darrell Porter passed away at age 50 due to complications from diabetes after a long battle with the condition. Darrell Porter was an all-star and world series champion with the Milwaukee Brewers.
He excelled at batting average (.247), home runs (188) and RBIs (826). In 1982, Porter became the first player in MLB history to hit five home runs in one game. Darrell Porter retired from baseball after the 1986 season, having played for seven different teams over a 12-year career.
44. Charlie Leibrandt
Career
- World Series champion (1985)
Leibrandt pitched for the Cincinnati Reds from 1979 to 1993 and made a total of 296 appearances, including 287 starts. He was most successful in his early years with the Reds, posting a record of 57-51 over that span.
However, Leibrandt's career took a turn for the worse after he signed with the Texas Rangers in 1991. In Texas, he posted an overall record of 48-72 and suffered through several poor seasons before being released midway through 1994 season.
After his retirement as a player, Leibrandt became head coach at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania where he led them to two NCAA Division III championships (2002 & 2003). He is currently back at Shippensburg coaching their pitching staff once again.
Charlie Leibrandt was born on October 4th, 1956 in Chicago Illinois and played baseball throughout high school until finally deciding to go professional following his graduation from Mount Union College in 1976.
His MLB debut came against the San Diego Padres on September 17th 1979 and lasted only 2 innings due to giving up 5 earned runs without recording an official strikeout or hit batter.
The highlight of his career may have come during the 1985 season when he went 11-14 with a 3.98 ERA while striking out 218 batters over 179 1/3 innings pitched.
This remains one of only 8 complete games recorded by an American League pitcher since 1920 After leaving baseball behind him after 1993 however. Charlie returned to it later that year when he served as pitching coach for Team USA’s entry into.
World Baseball Classic qualifying tournament which they won convincingly defeating Mexico twice en route.
45. Michael Massey
Second baseman
Massey was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the seventh round of the 2018 MLB draft. He made his professional debut with the Omaha Storm Chasers, and hit .286/.364/.427 with nine home runs in 122 plate appearances.
The Royals promoted Massey to their Triple-A affiliate, the Omaha Storm Chasers, where he has continued to excel hitting .301/.384/.494 with 16 home runs in 491 plate appearances. Michael is a second baseman who hits left-handed and throws right-handed.
Massey was drafted in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals. Massey made his professional debut with the Class A Advanced Wilmington Blue Rocks that season and hit .243 with 4 home runs and 17 RBIs.
In 2023, Massey was promoted to Double-A Northwest Arkansas and starred for them, hitting .301 with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs in just 52 games played.
On July 15th, 2024, Michael Massey made his MLB debut for the Kansas City Royals at age 21 years old against the Detroit Tigers and went 1 for 3 with a run scored on defense.
Over parts of four seasons (2022- 2025) with Kansas City, he totaled 55 hits in 191 plate appearances (.244 AVG), including 18 doubles, 5 triples, 11 homers & 47 RBIs.
46. Al Fitzmorris
Al Fitzmorris was a pitcher in the MLB for over 20 years. He is best known for his time with the Kansas City Royals, where he won two World Series titles.
In 1988, Fitzmorris became the first player to ever win both the Cy Young Award and MVP award in the same season. After retiring from baseball, Fitzmorris ran a restaurant in his home state of New York until it closed down in 2009 due to financial difficulties.
Al Fitzmorris passed away on October 5th, 2016 at age 76 after suffering from Alzheimer's Disease for several years Al Fitzmorris was a 3-time All-Star and 2-time Gold Glove Award winner. He accumulated 458 strikeouts in his career, which is still the record for most by a second baseman.
Al Fitzmorris ranks third all time in hits with 1,711 and fourth in RBIs with 914. Al Fitzmorris retired as the seventh highest scoring manager of all time with 2,565 points (behind only Connie Mack, Walter Johnson and Casey Stengel).
After retiring from baseball he served as an executive for several teams including the San Diego Padres (1981–1982), New York Mets (1983) and Boston Red Sox (1984).
47. Gary Gaetti
Career
- 2× All-Star (1988, 1989), World Series champion (1987), ALCS MVP (1987), 4× Gold Glove Award (1986–1989), Silver Slugger Award (1995), Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame
Gaetti played for the Minnesota Twins from 1981-1983 and then for the Boston Red Sox from 1984-2000. In his MLB career, Gaetti batted .255 with 2,280 hits in 13 seasons.
After playing in the majors for over 20 years, Gary Gaett retired at age 40 due to a back injury. Outside of baseball, Gary is currently an investor and business executive who has worked in various industries including banking and telecommunications.
Gary's wife Lynne filed for divorce in 2002 after 24 years of marriage but they have since reconciled and are now raising their two children together as single parents).
Gary is known as one of the most charitable athletes ever – he actively supports numerous charities through his work with TheGaryGaetti Foundation which focuses on youth education initiatives around the world (including projects benefiting orphans in Haiti).
As a result of his charity work, Garry was awarded an honorary doctorate by Florida Gulf Coast University in 2016 – just one year after being inducted into their Sports Hall Of Fame.
Also Played For: minnesota twins
48. Paul Splittorff
Career
- Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame
Paul Splittorff was a pitcher in the major leagues for over 20 years, playing for the Royals and Tigers. He had an excellent career record of 173-146 with a 3.68 ERA.
After his MLB career ended, he moved to Missouri where he became involved in coaching and managing at various levels of baseball. In May 2011, Paul Splittorff died after a long battle with cancer at the age of 64.
Splittorff was a third baseman in the Royals' 1970 championship season. Splittorff played his entire 17-year career with Kansas City, retiring at the end of 1984. He is best known for being one of only two players to hit three home runs in an AL Championship Series game (the other player being George Brett).
Splittorff also led the American League in sacrifice hits twice and finished second once during his playing career. After retiring from baseball, he became a broadcaster for KC radio and television stations before eventually moving on to managing teams in Japan and Mexico.
49. Danny Jackson
Career
- 2× All-Star (1988, 1994), 2× World Series champion (1985, 1990), NL wins leader (1988)
Danny Jackson was a pitcher in the MLB for 14 seasons. He had a 112-131 win-loss record and an ERA of 4.01. In his career, he led the league in wild pitches twice (1986 and 1988).
He also threw two no-hitters in his career - one with the Royals and one with the Padres. After retiring from baseball, Danny became a broadcaster for Fox Sports Kansas City and then FOX Sports Southwest before joining ESPN as an analyst for theirs.
College Baseball coverage starting in 2017 Danny Jackson was a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion with the Kansas City Royals.
He also led the National League in wins during his career and finished as runner-up for the MVP Award in 1990. After playing nine seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, he was traded to Chicago Cubs where he won another World Series title in 1992.
In 1993, he signed with Philadelphia Phillies where he would play until 1994 before being traded to St. Louis Cardinals. The next year saw him move on again to San Diego Padres where he played one more season before retiring at the end of 1997 season.
50. Kyle Isbel
Outfielder
Kyle Isbel was born on March 3, 1997 in Fontana, California. He attended high school at Granite Bay High School and played for the varsity baseball team as a right-handed hitter and outfielder.
In 2017, he was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the first round of the MLB draft and signed with them that same year. Kyle made his professional debut with the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2018.
Where he hit .282/.348/.472 with 11 home runs over 126 games played between rookie ball and short-season A ball before being called up to Triple-A Omaha midseason where he continued to play well hitting .284/.371/.458 with 10 home runs over 61 games played (including 25 starts).
On September 1st, 2019, Kyle was called up to join the Royals roster for their playoff run which ended up being unsuccessful as they were eliminated from contention after losing Game 5 of their Division Series against Toronto Blue Jays.
Kyle is currently playing center field for Kansas City's major league club but also has experience playing left field and DH as well as pitching in relief situations due to his ability to switch positions on a whim depending on matchups or game situation (he has recorded 8 saves in 9 opportunities thus far in his career).
51. Freddy Fermín
Freddy Fermín was born in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela on May 16th 1995. He made his professional debut in the Venezuelan Summer League with the Tigres de Llanos club at just 17-years old and quickly impressed talent scouts with his batting ability and strong throwing arm behind the plate.
The Royals acquired Freddy Fermín as part of a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks in February of 2018 and he has since played for both teams' Triple-A affiliates before making his MLB debut this season.
In 122 games played between Kansas City's Double-A affiliate Wichita Wingnuts and their major league squad, Freddy has hit .251/.314/.410 with 4 home runs and 21 RBIs while providing excellent defense behind the plate - earning him a nomination for AL MVP honors so far this year.
With an outstanding international pedigree (his father is former Major Leaguer Tony Fermín), Freddy is expected to be one of baseball's top catching prospects for years to come - showing off his skills not only at catcher but also at first base or left field as well.
Final Words
. . . The Kansas City Royals have had a storied history in the MLB, and their best players over the years have been some of the most legendary players in baseball.
From Mike Moustakas to Salvador Perez, these are some of the all-time greats who have worn a Royals uniform.
