Kansas City Royals best all-time first basemen in franchise history

Kansas City Royals best all-time first basemen – No 1: John Mayberry

21.8 WAR

John Mayberry was a key component to the quick Royals ascension to competitiveness in the seventies. In his six seasons with the Royals, he hit at least 22 home runs five times, and he drove in at least 100 runs three times and more than 80 five times.

For a big man with a lot of power, Mayberry knew how to take a walk too. He led the majors in base on balls twice and on-base percentage once. In Kansas City, he walked 561 times and struck out 457 times. His OPS was .895 or higher three times, including .963 in 1975, when he finished second in the MVP voting.

He finished in the top ten for WAR twice, in RBI four times, and in walks all six years with the Royals.

How was he around the bag? Pretty darn good! He finished in the top ten in putouts five times, first thrice, in assists at first four times., and in double plays by a first baseman in five of his seasons, including first twice. It seems crazy he didn’t win any Gold Gloves while Hoser won four.

Right before the 1978 season, the Royals sold Mayberry to the Blue Jays. He had three more productive seasons, if not quite as good as his heydays in Kansas City. He began to slip in year four in Toronto, then split 1982 with the Blue Jays and Yankees, with poor results.

Mayberry’s WAR is double the next highest in team history for first basemen. He is among the greatest Royals ever, first base or otherwise.

There you have it – the all-time best first basemen and Kansas City Royals’ history!