Mack's Mets: Who Are The 2014 Kansas City Royals

None of us knew the names of three of these guys until this month. Now, they are going to the World Series. Let’s look how this team was built:

Pitchers -

Tim Collins - UDFA – 2007 – Toronto - On July 31, 2010, Collins was traded along with Jesse Chavez and Gregor Blanco for Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth[i]

Wade Davis - drafted 3^rd round – 2004 – Tampa Bay - On December 9, 2012 Davis was traded to the Kansas City Royals (along with James Shields) in exchange for Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery and Patrick Leonard[ii]

Danny Duffy - drafted 3^rd round – 2007 – Kansas City

Brandon Finnegan - drafted 1^st round (17^th overall) – 2014 – Kansas City

Jason Frasor - drafted 33^rd round – Detroit Tigers - On July 16, 2014, the Rangers traded Frasor to Kansas City for pitcher Spencer Patton[iii]

Jeremy Guthrie - drafted 1^st round (22^nd overall) – Cleveland - On July 20, 2012, Guthrie was traded to the Royals for left-handed starter Jonathan Sanchez[iv]

Kelvin Herrera - UDFA – signed in 2008 by Kansas City

Greg Holland - drafted 10^th round – 2007 – Kansas City

James Shields - drafted 16^th round – 2000 – Tampa Bay - On December 9, 2012, Shields was traded to the Kansas City Royals (along with Wade Davis) in exchange for Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery and Patrick Leonard[v]

Jason Vargas - drafted 2^nd round – 2004 – Florida Marlins - On November 21, 2013 Vargas signed a four-year, $32 million contract with the Kansas City Royals[vi]

Yordano Ventura - UDFA - signed in 2010 by Kansas City

Catchers -

Erik Kratz – drafted in 29^th round – 2002 – Toronto - On July 28, 2014, Kratz was traded with Liam Hendriks to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Danny Valencia[vii]

Salvador Perez - UDFA – 2007 – signed by Kansas City

Infielders -

Christian Colon – drafted 1^st round (4^th overall) – 2010 – Kansas City

Alcides Escobar - UDFA – 2003 – signed by Milwaukee ($35K) - On December 18, 2010, he was traded to the Kansas City Royals with Lorenzo Cain, Jeremy Jeffress, and Jake Odorizzi for Zack Greinke and Yuniesky Betancourt[viii]

Eric Hosmer - drafted in 1^st round (3^rd overall) – 2008 draft – Kansas City

Omar Infante - UDFA – 1999 – signed by Detroit - On December 16, 2013, Infante signed a four-year, $30.25 million contract with the Kansas City Royals, with a club option for 2018[ix]

Mike Moustakas – Drafted in 1^st round (2^nd overall) – 2007 draft – Kansas City

Outfielders -

Nori Aoki – UDFA – 2012 – Milwaukee - On December 5, 2013, the Brewers traded Aoki to the Kansas City Royals for Will Smith[x]

Lorenzo Cain - Drafted in 17^th round – 2004 draft – Milwaukee - On December 18, 2010, he was traded to the Kansas City Royals with Alcides Escobar, Jeremy Jeffress, and Jake Odorizzi for Zack Greinke and Yuniesky Betancourt.[xi]

Jarrod Dyson – drafted in 50^th round – 2006 draft – Kansas City

Alex Gordon - Drafted in 1^st round (2^nd overall) – 2005 draft – Kansas City

Terrance Gore - drafted in 20^th round – 2011 draft – Kansas City

Josh Willingham – drafted in 17^th round – 2000 – Miami Marlins - On August 11, 2014, Willingham was traded to the Kansas City Royals for RHP Jason Adam[xii]