2027 Vote - Eligible Royals Alumni Bios

Selected 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 (9th); and slugging percentage (5th) and position player WAR (9th).

• Fifth Ballot Appearance: 2021 – 65.6%; 2023 – 57.4%; 2025 – 59.6%; 2026 – 53.5%

Selected 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).

• Fifth Ballot Appearance: 2021 – 56.3%; 2023 – 50.0%; 2025 – 40.4%; 2026 – 41.1%

Acquired by the Royals in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers on December 19, 2010…Two-time Les Milgram Player of the Year (2014, 2015)…2015 American League All-Star, second Royals centerfielder ever voted into the starting line-up (although he played right field in the game in which he recorded two hits)… Two-time American League Rawlings Gold Glove Award Finalist (2013, 2017)…Named 2014 American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player hitting .533 (5-15) with two doubles, two walks, and five runs scored in the Royals four game sweep of Baltimore...Reached base in all 16 of the Royals 2015 Postseason games...went first to home in scoring the go ahead run on a single by Eric Hosmer in the eighth inning of the Royals pennant clinching win vs Toronto in 2015 ALCS Game Six...his bases-loaded three-run double capped the Royals five-run 12th inning rally in their championship clinching win vs New York in 2015 World Series Game Five...Finished third in 2015 American League Most Valuable Player voting…posted the seventh three home run game in Royals history hitting a trio at Yankee Stadium on May 10, 2016…Currently ranks tied for 10th on the Royals Career Wins Above Replacement list for a position player.

• Second Ballot Appearance: 2026 – 65.6%

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…and set 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 games saved list.

• Third Ballot Appearance: 2025 – 44.9%; 2026 – 50.0%

Acquired by the Royals in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers on December 19, 2010…2015 American League All-Star, first Royals shortstop ever voted into the starting line-up…Named 2015 American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player, batting .478 (11-for-23)…Won 2015 Rawlings Gold Glove, first Royals shortstop to ever receive the honor…2012 and 2015 Joe Burke Special Achievement Award winner (co-winner in 2015)...he was fifth among American League players in stolen bases, 2012 and 2014...his 22 steals in 2013 were the most in a single season by a Royals player without being caught...Batted .311 (42-for-135) over the 2014 and 2015 Postseasons...his 42 Postseason hits rank second to George Brett (56) in franchise history...his Postseason batting average is third among Royals with at least 40 plate appearances (Willie Aikens, .375; Brett, .337)…Became the first Royals player to start all 162 games in a season (2014)...tied for the MLB lead in games played in 2014, 2016, 2017 (162 each year)...Currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in hits (10th), triples (10th), stolen bases (10th), and games played (t9th).

• Second Ballot Appearance: 2026 – 25.3%

Selected by Kansas City Royals in the June 2002 First-Year Player Draft (1st Round)...2009 American League Cy Young Award Winner…Two-time Bruce Rice Player of the Year (2004, 2009)...2009 American League All-Star…His first career base hit was a Home Run on June 10, 2005, at Arizona…Recorded a then Royals single game record 15 strikeouts on August 25, 2009, vs Cleveland. Tossed the 17th one-hitter in club history August 30, 2009, at Seattle…Holds the club record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched with 38 from September 18, 2008-April 24, 2009…His 10.4 WAR (Baseball Reference) in 2009 ranks third in a season by any MLB pitcher since 2000 (Pedro Martinez, 11.7 in 2000 and Randy Johnson 10.7 in 2002)…Returned to the Royals as a major league free agent on March 16, 2022…Was Royals Opening Day starter on April 5, 2010 and again on April 7, 2022 - the longest gap between such assignments for the same franchise in MLB history - in addition, at 38 years, 168 days, he became the oldest Opening Day starting pitcher in Royals history…On May 13, 2023 became just the fifth pitcher in MLB history to strike out 1,000 different batters during his career, joining Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, and Roger Clemens…Currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in games started (6th), innings (7th), strikeouts (4th), walks/9 (3rd), wins above replacement/pitcher (4th).

• 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 ever in a single Postseason…Currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in games saved (6th), and pitching appearances (3rd).

• Third Ballot Appearance: 2025 – 21.3%; 2026 – 15.6%

Selected by Kansas City Royals in the June 2007 First-Year Player Draft (10th Round)...Two-time Bruce Rice Pitcher of the Year (2012, 2013)…Two-time American League All-Star selection (2013, 2014)…2013 Sporting News Pitcher of the Year (top A.L. reliever)...2014 Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year...set a single-season club record with 47 saves in 2013, topping the mark of 45 shared by Dan Quisenberry (1983) and Jeff Montgomery (1993)...second among A.L pitchers in saves, 2013 (47) and 2014 (46)...finished in the Top 10 of American League Cy Young Award voting in both 2013 (9th) and 2014 (9th)...Tied an MLB record with four saves in a single American League Championship Series closing our all four games in the 2014 Royals sweep of Baltimore, a feat only previously accomplished by National baseball Hall of Fame Dennis Eckersley (1988)...his seven saves during the 2014 Postseason also tied the MLB record for most in a single Postseason...Currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in games saved (4th) and pitching appearances (6th).

• Second Ballot Appearance: 2026 – 57.8%

Selected by Kansas City Royals in the June 2008 First-Year Player Draft (1st Round)...Three-time Les Milgram Player of the Year (2013, 2016, 2017) and 2011 Joe Burke Special Achievement Award winner…2016 American League All-Star…2016 MLB All-Star Game Most Valuable Player going 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI – the first Royals All-Star home run since 1986 (Bo Jackson)…Four-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner (2013-2015, 2017)…2017 American League Silver Slugger Award…Two-time AL Rookie of the Month (July & September 2011)…Finished third in 2011 American League Rookie of the Year voting leading all AL rookies in hits, runs, and multi-hit games; finishing second in RBI, doubles, totals bases, and extra-base hits; and third in home runs…Tripled and scored tying run in 12^th inning of 2014 Wild Card Game…Holds club record with 29 career postseason RBI…In 2015, set a club record with 17 RBI in a single postseason (16 games)…Had game winning RBI with eighth inning single in decisive 2015 ALCS Game Six…Had walk-off RBI with sacrifice fly in 14^th inning of 2015 World Series Game One…scored the tying run in ninth inning of eventually decisive 2015 World Series Game Five…played for Team USA in 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classic…Currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in home runs (t10th), runs (10th), RBI (9th), and total bases (10th).

• First Ballot Appearance

Signed by the Royals as a Major League Free-Agent on January 29, 2016…2019 Bruce Rice Pitcher of the Year…After 289 career starts and 91 career wins, he recorded his first career save on March 30, 2019…Converted 30 of 34 save opportunities in 2019, becoming the fifth Royals pitcher to record a season of 30 or more saves joining Dan Quisenberry, Jeff Montgomery, Joakim Soria, and Greg Holland…He was the fourth Major League pitcher to record both a 30-save season and a 20-win season (2011 with Arizona) in their career joining Dennis Eckersley, John Smoltz, and Derek Lowe…Currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in strikeouts/9 (3rd).

• First Ballot Appearance

Selected by Kansas City Royals in the June 2007 First-Year Player Draft (1st Round)...Two-time American League All-Star (2015, 2017)…2012 American League Rawlings Gold Glove Award Finalist…2017 American League Comeback Player of the Year…set the single-season club record (since surpassed) with 38 home runs in 2017, a record that had stood since 1985 (Steve Balboni – 36)...started all 31 postseason games in 2014-15...his six career postseason home runs is tied for second in club history...had five home runs in the 2014 postseason, most by a Royals player in a single postseason and most by any MLB player in 2014...set the club single game record with nine RBI in one game (9/12/15 at Baltimore)...2015 Joe Burke Special Achievement Award co-winner…Currently ranks in the Royals Career Top 10 in home runs (9th).

• 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 National Baseball Hall of Famer 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).

• Third Ballot Appearance: 2025 – 27.0%; 2026 – 23.3%