2025 Vote - Eligible Royals Alumni Bios

Drafted by the Royals in the 1995 First-Year Player Draft (2nd Round)…Went from Class A Wilmington to the majors on September 14, 1998…Earned the Jackie Robinson Award as the American League Rookie of the Year in 1999; received 26 of 28 first place votes by the BBWAA…He hit .293, with 112 runs scored, 22 home runs and 108 RBI in 1999…Named the Royals Player of the Year in 2001 after leading the club with a .306 average, 106 runs, 101 RBI and 31 stolen bases; the youngest player (age 24) since George Brett in 1975 & 1976 (ages 22 & 23)…Led the Royals in nearly every offensive category except batting average in 2002 with team highs in at bats (637), runs (114), hits (174), doubles (44), triples (7), home runs (29), RBI (105), walks (71), and stolen bases (35)…his 2002 total of 80 extra base hits was once the American League single-season record surpassing Mickey Mantle (79 – 1956)…In 2003, he became the 6th player in Major League history to record 3 seasons with 100 runs, 100 RBI, and 30 stolen bases…Earned Royals Player of the Year in 2003 after leading the team in batting average (.307), runs (102), triples (10), home runs (26), RBI (100), walks (72), and stolen bases (41)…currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in triples (t7th); stolen bases (8th); and slugging percentage (5th).

• Third Ballot Appearance: 2021 – 65.6%; 2023 – 57.4%

Drafted by Kansas City Royals in the June 2004 First-Year Player Draft (1st Round)...Three-time Les Milgram Player of the Year (2009, 2010, 2012)...American League Silver Slugger Award at DH (2012)...Edgar Martinez Outstanding DH Award (2012)...American League All-Star (2012)…In 2009, became first player in modern era to record four three-double games in the same season (July 8 at Detroit, August 8 vs. Oakland, August 18 at Chicago-AL, & September 9 vs. Detroit)...Became the first Royals player to post three consecutive 40+ double seasons (2009-2011)...First player in franchise history to lead or share the team lead in RBI for five-straight seasons (2009-2013)...Played in all 162 games in 2013...Currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in batting average (3rd), hits (9th), doubles (8th), home runs (t10th), RBI (8th), and total bases (9th).

• Third Ballot Appearance: 2021 – 56.3%; 2023 – 50.0%

Drafted by the Royals in the 1992 First-Year Player Draft (1st Round)…Led the American League in runs (136) and stolen bases (46) in 2000…his 136 runs scored in 2000 is the Royals single-season club record…Was the first Royals player to score 100 or more runs in three consecutive season (1998-2000)…played in a then-club record 305 consecutive games from 1998-1999… currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in batting average (7th); triples (6th); and stolen bases (10th).

• Fifth Ballot Appearance: 2017 – 25.0%; 2019 – 36.1%; 2021 – 25.0%; 2023 – 17.6%

Acquired by the Royals in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on December 9, 2012…Returned as a Major League free agent, January 20, 2021…Two-time Bruce Rice Pitcher of the Year (2014 and 2015)…two-time American League All-Star (2015 and 2016)…led all Major League relievers in ERA in both 2014 (1.00) and 2015 (0.94)…the 0.94 ERA broke his own club record from 2014…set club record for relievers with 109 strikeouts in 2014…holds club record for relievers with 125.2 consecutive innings with no home runs allowed…held opponents to one earned run over 25.0 Postseason innings as a Royal, striking out 38…includes 18 strikeouts and one unearned run over 9.0 innings (7 appearances) in World Series play…currently ranks tied for 10th on the Royals Career Top 10 in games saved.

• First Ballot Appearance

Drafted by the Royals in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft (50th Round)…Returned as a Major League free agent, March 5, 2021…ranked in the top 10 in the American League in stolen bases each season from 2012-16…one of four Royals to reach 30 or more bases at least four times, joining Royals Hall of Famers Willie Wilson (11x), Fred Patek (8x) and Amos Otis (5x)…is the only player in baseball history with four or more seasons of 30+ steals in which he posted under 350 plate appearances each time (2012-14, 2016)…recorded a career-best 36 steals in 2014, including 22 in the seventh inning or later, most in the Major Leagues…recorded 39 outfield assists as a member of the Royals… currently ranks tied for 5th on the Royals Career Top 10 in stolen bases.

• First Ballot Appearance

Drafted by the Royals in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft (1st Round)…2011 Les Milgram Royals Player of the Year and 2020 Joe Burke Special Achievement Award winner…three-time American League All-Star (2013, 2014, 2015)…voted American League All-Star starting leftfielder in 2015…eight-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner (2011-14, 17-20) and two-time Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winner (2014, 2020)…shares club record for Gold Gloves with Frank White…key ninth inning game-tying home run in Game One of the 2015 World Series…collected ten (10) doubles in postseason play, second most in club history behind only Hal McRae (11)…led all of MLB with 51 doubles in 2012, tied for the second most in a single season in club history (Hal McRae – 54; 1977)…led all MLB with 20 outfield assists in 2011…his 102 career outfield assists are second in club history behind only Amos Otis (116)…holds the Royals record for most game starting home runs (14)…led the American League in hit by pitch (19) in 2019…holds club career record for hit by pitches with 121…one of six position players to play 14 or more seasons for the Royals along with Amos Otis (14; 1970-83), Hal McRae (15; 1973-87), Willie Wilson (15; 1976-90), Frank White (18; 1973-1990) and George Brett (21; 1973-93)…currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in hits (6th), doubles (5th), home runs (5th), runs scored (6th); RBI (7th); totals bases (6th); and games played (6th).

• First Ballot Appearance

Signed by the Royals as an amateur free-agent on December 13, 2006…American League All-Star (2015 and 2016)…recorded 70+ appearances four times (2012, 2014-16), joining Dan Quisenberry as the only Royals pitchers to reach the mark four times…set a Royals rookie record with 76 appearances in 2012…his 1.41 ERA in 2014 ranked fifth among MLB relievers…allowed just two earned runs from June 27 on, posting the best ERA among MLB relievers (0.48)…the span included a 31.0 inning scoreless streak, second in Royals history…appeared in 22 Postseason games in 2014-15, posting a 1.26 ERA (4 ER in 28.2 IP)…pitched in all four games of the 2014 ALCS vs. Baltimore, (5.2 IP, 0 ER)…allowed just one unearned run over 10.2 combined innings in the 2015 ALCS and World Series, recording 16 strikeouts in 10.2 innings…his 22 strikeouts in the 2015 Postseason ranked second among relievers in a single year at the time (now fifth)…currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in games saved (6th), and pitching appearances (3rd).

• First Ballot Appearance

Selected by the Royals in the Rule 5 draft from the San Diego Padres on December 7, 2006…returned as a Major League free agent, December 10, 2015…Two-time Bruce Rice Pitcher of the Year (2008 and 2010)…American League All-Star (2008 and 2010)…recorded 42 saves in 2008 and a career-high 43 in 2010, which at the time was two shy of the Royals record…finished second in the A.L. in saves, 2008 and 2010…set a Royals record with 36 consecutive save conversions from May 13 to September 30, 2010…converted 122 of 132 save opportunities from July 31, 2007 to the end of 2010, with the 92.4% rate behind only Mariano Rivera…led A.L. rookies with 17 saves in 2007…finished 10th in 2010 American League Cy Young Vote…currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in games saved (3rd), and pitching appearances (5th).

• First Ballot Appearance

Signed by the Royals as an amateur free agent on October 8, 2008…2014 Joe Burke Special Achievement Award Winner in recognition of an outstanding season above and beyond expectations…tied for most postseason career postseason starts by a pitcher in Royals history (9-Dennis Leonard)…memorable winning performance tossing seven shutout innings in Royals 10-0 win in Game Six of the 2014 World Series Game at Kauffman Stadium…5th on Royals All-Time Career List in strikeouts per 9.0 innings (7.72) and 9th in hits per 9 innings (8.63).

• Fourth Ballot Appearance: • 2019 – 13.9%; 2021 – 21.9%; 2023 – 19.1%