Best Royals Players of All Time, Ranked by NUT

KC · 1969–nowThe best Royals players ever, by NUT with the club.

#1 hitterGeorge Brett+52.4 NUT · 1974–1993

#1 pitcherBret Saberhagen+15.5 NUT · 1984–1991

World Series titles2Last in 2015

George Brett is the most productive hitter in Royals history by NUT at +52.4 over 20 qualified seasons with the club (1974–1993). Bret Saberhagen leads the pitchers at +15.5 over 8 seasons (1984–1991).

The franchise has played 58 seasons since 1969. It has won 2 World Series titles, the last in 2015, in 4 trips to the World Series.

Its best club by team NUT was the 1977 Kansas City Royals at +14.5 (102-60), #4 of 26 that season.

Greatest Royals NUT with the club, all qualified seasons

Hitters · top 25
#	Player	Seasons	NUT
1	George Brett3B · 1974–1993	20	+52.4
2	Hal McRaeDH · 1973–1986	14	+24.7
3	Amos OtisCF · 1970–1983	14	+19.7
4	Danny TartabullRF · 1987–1991	5	+16.3
5	Mike Sweeney1B · 1996–2007	12	+16.1
6	John Mayberry Sr.1B · 1972–1977	6	+16.0
7	Billy ButlerDH · 2007–2014	8	+12.6
8	Bobby Witt Jr.SS · 2022–2026	5	+11.6
9	Eric Hosmer1B · 2011–2017	7	+8.2
10	Kevin Seitzer3B · 1986–1991	6	+8.1
11	Willie Aikens1B · 1980–1983	4	+8.1
12	Darrell PorterC · 1977–1980	4	+6.9
13	Carlos BeltránCF · 1999–2003	5	+6.3
14	Alex GordonLF · 2007–2020	14	+5.3
15	Wally Joyner1B · 1992–1995	4	+4.8
16	Bo JacksonLF · 1987–1990	4	+4.7
17	David DeJesusLF · 2004–2010	7	+4.4
18	Paul Schaal3B · 1969–1973	5	+4.4
19	Vinnie Pasquantino1B · 2022–2026	5	+4.3
20	Lorenzo CainCF · 2012–2017	6	+4.0
21	Kendrys MoralesDH · 2015–2016	2	+3.8
22	Mike MacfarlaneC · 1988–1997	9	+3.8
23	Jorge SolerDH · 2017–2020	4	+3.5
24	Jose Offerman2B · 1996–1998	3	+3.4
25	Salvador PerezC · 2011–2026	15	+3.4

Pitchers · top 25
#	Player	Seasons	NUT
1	Bret SaberhagenP · 1984–1991	8	+15.5
2	Kevin AppierP · 1990–2003	9	+15.0
3	Mark GubiczaP · 1984–1996	13	+9.6
4	Zack GreinkeP · 2004–2023	8	+8.1
5	Greg HollandP · 2011–2021	7	+6.6
6	Dan QuisenberryP · 1979–1987	9	+6.4
7	Joakim SoriaP · 2007–2017	7	+5.9
8	Jeff MontgomeryP · 1988–1999	12	+5.6
9	Dennis LeonardP · 1975–1986	10	+5.2
10	Cole RagansP · 2023–2025	3	+4.7
11	Kelvin HerreraP · 2012–2017	6	+4.2
12	Wade DavisP · 2013–2021	5	+3.5
13	Steve FarrP · 1985–1990	6	+3.5
14	Doug BirdP · 1973–1978	6	+3.4
15	Danny JacksonP · 1984–1987	4	+3.3
16	Tom GordonP · 1989–1995	7	+3.3
17	Scott BarlowP · 2019–2022	4	+2.8
18	Charlie LeibrandtP · 1984–1989	6	+2.5
19	Roger NelsonP · 1969–1972	3	+2.5
20	Steve BusbyP · 1972–1980	7	+2.4
21	Dick DragoP · 1969–1973	5	+2.1
22	Bob JohnsonP · 1970	1	+1.9
23	David ConeP · 1993–1994	2	+1.9
24	Brady SingerP · 2020–2024	5	+1.6
25	Lucas ErcegP · 2024–2025	2	+1.6

Best single seasons season NUT

Hitters
Player	Season	NUT
George Brett	1980	+6.6
George Brett	1985	+6.2
Bobby Witt Jr.	2024	+5.9
John Mayberry Sr.	1975	+5.8
Danny Tartabull	1991	+5.1
John Mayberry Sr.	1972	+4.8
George Brett	1988	+4.5
George Brett	1979	+4.4
Hal McRae	1982	+4.4
John Mayberry Sr.	1973	+4.1

Pitchers
Player	Season	NUT
Zack Greinke	2009	+5.1
Dennis Leonard	1977	+4.1
Bret Saberhagen	1989	+4.0
Kevin Appier	1993	+3.4
Mark Gubicza	1989	+3.1
Bret Saberhagen	1985	+2.8
Kevin Appier	1996	+2.7
Steve Busby	1974	+2.6
Mark Gubicza	1988	+2.6
Cole Ragans	2024	+2.3

Best by decade NUT with the club in that decade

2020s

HitterBobby Witt Jr.+11.6

PitcherCole Ragans+4.7

2010s

HitterBilly Butler+10.3

PitcherGreg Holland+6.4

2000s

HitterMike Sweeney+14.2

PitcherZack Greinke+6.9

1990s

HitterDanny Tartabull+6.3

PitcherKevin Appier+16.8

1980s

HitterGeorge Brett+33.7

PitcherBret Saberhagen+12.3

1970s

HitterAmos Otis+19.3

PitcherDennis Leonard+5.5

1960s

HitterMike Fiore+2.6

PitcherMike Hedlund+0.7

Best Royals teams season team NUT

1977

Kansas City Royals102-60

Team NUT+14.5A#4 of 26

1972

Kansas City Royals76-78

Team NUT+13.4A#4 of 24

1989

Kansas City Royals92-70

Team NUT+13.1A#2 of 26

1988

Kansas City Royals84-77

Team NUT+8.5B#5 of 26

1980

Kansas City Royals97-65

Team NUT+8.2B#9 of 26

How these lists are built

Each player's number is his season NUT added up over every season he qualified with the Royals (100 plate appearances or 25 innings in a full season), so only his years with this club count. NUT is one number for production against that season's league average, with defense left out, so a 1930 season and a 2025 season sit on one scale. A player traded during a season appears under the club MLB lists his full-season line with. Seasons before 1901 were shorter, so their values run lower.

Best Royals players of all time by NUT

Hitters
Player	Years	NUT
George Brett	1974–1993	+52.4
Hal McRae	1973–1986	+24.7
Amos Otis	1970–1983	+19.7
Danny Tartabull	1987–1991	+16.3
Mike Sweeney	1996–2007	+16.1
John Mayberry Sr.	1972–1977	+16.0
Billy Butler	2007–2014	+12.6
Bobby Witt Jr.	2022–2026	+11.6
Eric Hosmer	2011–2017	+8.2
Kevin Seitzer	1986–1991	+8.1
Willie Aikens	1980–1983	+8.1
Darrell Porter	1977–1980	+6.9
Carlos Beltrán	1999–2003	+6.3
Alex Gordon	2007–2020	+5.3
Wally Joyner	1992–1995	+4.8
Bo Jackson	1987–1990	+4.7
David DeJesus	2004–2010	+4.4
Paul Schaal	1969–1973	+4.4
Vinnie Pasquantino	2022–2026	+4.3
Lorenzo Cain	2012–2017	+4.0
Kendrys Morales	2015–2016	+3.8
Mike Macfarlane	1988–1997	+3.8
Jorge Soler	2017–2020	+3.5
Jose Offerman	1996–1998	+3.4
Salvador Perez	2011–2026	+3.4

Pitchers
Player	Years	NUT
Bret Saberhagen	1984–1991	+15.5
Kevin Appier	1990–2003	+15.0
Mark Gubicza	1984–1996	+9.6
Zack Greinke	2004–2023	+8.1
Greg Holland	2011–2021	+6.6
Dan Quisenberry	1979–1987	+6.4
Joakim Soria	2007–2017	+5.9
Jeff Montgomery	1988–1999	+5.6
Dennis Leonard	1975–1986	+5.2
Cole Ragans	2023–2025	+4.7
Kelvin Herrera	2012–2017	+4.2
Wade Davis	2013–2021	+3.5
Steve Farr	1985–1990	+3.5
Doug Bird	1973–1978	+3.4
Danny Jackson	1984–1987	+3.3
Tom Gordon	1989–1995	+3.3
Scott Barlow	2019–2022	+2.8
Charlie Leibrandt	1984–1989	+2.5
Roger Nelson	1969–1972	+2.5
Steve Busby	1972–1980	+2.4
Dick Drago	1969–1973	+2.1
Bob Johnson	1970	+1.9
David Cone	1993–1994	+1.9
Brady Singer	2020–2024	+1.6
Lucas Erceg	2024–2025	+1.6