Kansas City Royals all-time top 50 players: No. 10 to No. 1

KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 14: Former Kansas City Royals George Brett throws out the first pitch prior to Game Three of the American League Championship Series against the Baltimore Orioles at Kauffman Stadium on October 14, 2014 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 14: Former Kansas City Royals George Brett throws out the first pitch prior to Game Three of the American League Championship Series against the Baltimore Orioles at Kauffman Stadium on October 14, 2014 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
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Kansas City Royals
KANSAS CITY, MO – SEPTEMBER 10: Eric Hosmer

No. 7) Eric Hosmer, first baseman, 2011-present

The first-round draft pick of the Kansas City Royals in 2008 lived up to the hype — and more.

In his seven seasons with the franchise, Eric Hosmer has become a fan favorite due to his talents on the field and his charisma off it. The four-time Gold Glove winner at first base was named MVP of the 2016 All-Star Game, going 2-for-3 with a second-inning home run off former teammate Johnny Cueto.

Hosmer has shown tremendous durability by playing in all 162 games in 2017 and missing only eight games in the past three seasons. Of course, Kansas City Royals fans will remember him most for his “mad dash.” It’s his famous head-first slide across home plate to tie Game 5 of the World Series and send it to extra innings, where the Royals would win their first world championship in 30 years.

No. 6) Hal McRae, designated hitter/outfielder, 1973-87

Our sixth player on the countdown wore No. 11, but he was in the Kansas City Royals’ all-time top 10 in almost every offensive category. A three-time All-Star, Hal McRae would have won the batting title in 1976 had it not been for teammate George Brett‘s 3-for-4 game on the last day of the season to edge him out by one point. He was beloved by fans for his hard effort and aggressive base running, taking extra bases at will and keeping outfielders (and middle infielders) on their toes.

McRae made appearances for the Kansas City Royals in seven different postseasons, with a .785 OPS in those games. After his playing career, he managed the Royals for four seasons, leading them to a 286-277 career record, which is sixth all-time on the career wins list for Royals managers.

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