Full name is Byron Earl Gettis...signed as a non-drafted
free agent, June 29, 1998...signed by Craig Struss...Resides in East St. Louis, IL during the off-season...Graduated from Cahokia High School in Illinois in 1998...was offered a football scholarship to the University of Minnesota to play quarterback...Played with Peoria of the Arizona Fall League following the 2003 season, hitting .241 (19x79) with nine runs
scored, four doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI in 20
games.
2004
Saw action at three different levels of the Royals organization, including his first major league action in Kansas City, before having his season cut short by a fractured left hamate bone.
Opened the season at Triple A Omaha...hit .246
(33x134) with 17 runs scored, five doubles, four home runs and 15 RBI in his first 40 games before being recalled by the Royals on May 27...Made his major league debut with Kansas City on May 27 versus Detroit, starting in right field and going hitless in three at-bats...Registered his first major league hit May 28 versus Minnesota, a single in the fifth inning off Brad Radke.
Collected a career-best two hits May 31 at Detroit -- equaled the high with two hits June 28 versus Baltimore...Drove in his first major league run with a sacrifice fly June 11 versus the New York Mets...Optioned to Omaha by the Royals on July 2...Hit .289 (13x45) with two doubles and four RBI in 11 games with Omaha July 5-18 before having his optioned transferred to Double A Wichita on July 19...Posted an 11-game hitting streak with Wichita July 21-August 2, batting .447 (17x38) with six runs scored, two
doubles, a triple, two home runs and 10 RBI...Placed on the disabled list for the remainder of the season on August 15 with a fractured left hamate bone -- underwent surgery on August 25.
2003
Was named Royals Minor League Player of the Year for 2003.
Ranked 2nd in the Texas League with a .302 batting average
and a career-best 103 RBI, while adding 16 home runs in his
1st season at Double A Wichita.
Also ranked among the league leaders in extra base hits (4th,
51), on-base percentage (4th, .377) and hits (5th, 154)...his
average ranked 3rd among all Royals Minor Leaguers, while
he tied for the 4th-most home runs in the Royals farm system.
Was named to both the Texas League midseason and
postseason All-Star teams.
Was named the 10th-best prospect in the Royals
organization by Baseball America...was also tabbed with the
best outfield arm.
Minor League notes
Was named to both the Carolina League's midseason and
postseason All-Star teams in 2002 and was honored as the
league's player of the week for April 18-24.
Batted .283 for the Blue Rocks in 2002 and led the team in
doubles (33) and RBI (70).
Tied for 5th with 5 home runs in the Gulf Coast League in
1999.
