The 5 youngest players to play for the KC Royals this century

Growing up, it seemed like baseball's best players rocketed through the minor leagues to The Show. Players like Andruw Jones, Álex Rodríguez, and the Upton brothers all made their MLB debuts as teenagers. That was not common for the KC Royals, so it seemed even more special. A player's MLB debut coming early in their life is not a sure-fire path to stardom, but it is still special.

This is partly due to the increased emphasis on player development in the minor leagues as well as the physical demands of playing at the major league level. However, some notable players who debuted as teenagers in the 21st century include Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, and Juan Soto. Despite the rarity of teenage debuts in modern baseball, these players have gone on to become some of the game's biggest stars.

Who are the youngest KC Royals players to appear in an MLB game?

Focusing on the youngest Royals players to make their debuts, Bobby Witt Jr. stands out as a recent exception. Most Kansas City players who have debuted in recent years have risen slowly through the minors before making it to the majors. That, like debuting young, is not a certain recipe for success, but the Royals' dismal development track in recent years has not fostered rocketing prospects.

Was this always the case? No. Let's look at the five youngest Royals players this century, with four of them coming before 2008. Which one happened most recently, in the midst of a Kansas City postseason run? Let's walk through each debut and what each player performed in their MLB career.