Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals players: who played for both
Who played for both the Cubs and Royals?
118 players played for both the Chicago Cubs and the Kansas City Royals between 1969 and 2025, including Willie Wilson, Bill Buckner, David DeJesus and Eric Hosmer. 61 of them played for the Cubs first and 52 for the Royals first; 5 played for both in the same season.
Did you know?
- Moe Drabowsky is the earliest on this list to complete the pair: Cubs first, then the Royals from 1969.
- Rich Hill is the most recent: Cubs first, then the Royals from 2025.
- Willie Wilson played the most games across the two: 122 for the Cubs and 1,787 for the Royals.
- 10 of them had two or more separate spells with one of the teams, such as Michael Tucker.
- Most common positions on this list: P (61), OF (24), 1B (8), 2B (8).
How many can you name?
Name players who played for both the Cubs and the Royals. The surname is enough. 0 / 118
All 118 players, most games for the two first
| Player | Pos | Cubs | Royals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willie Wilson | OF | 1993–1994 (122 g) | 1976–1990 (1787 g) |
| Bill Buckner | 1B | 1977–1984 (974 g) | 1988–1989 (168 g) |
| David DeJesus | OF | 2012–2013 (232 g) | 2003–2010 (876 g) |
| Eric Hosmer | 1B | 2023 (31 g) | 2011–2017 (1048 g) |
| Brian McRae | OF | 1995–1997 (402 g) | 1990–1994 (614 g) |
| Rey Sanchez | SS | 1991–1997 (594 g) | 1999–2001 (377 g) |
| Jose Cardenal | OF | 1972–1977 (821 g) | 1980 (25 g) |
| Pete LaCock | 1B | 1972–1976 (263 g) | 1977–1980 (452 g) |
| Jorge Soler | OF | 2014–2016 (211 g) | 2017–2021 (395 g) |
| Tom Goodwin | OF | 2003–2004 (164 g) | 1994–1997 (375 g) |
| Mark Grudzielanek | 2B | 2003–2004 (202 g) | 2006–2008 (336 g) |
| Nicky Lopez | 2B | 2025 (14 g) | 2019–2023 (520 g) |
| Ben Zobrist | 2B | 2016–2019 (461 g) | 2015 (59 g) |
| Michael Tucker | OF | 2001 (63 g) | 1995–1996, 2002–2003 (418 g) |
| Gary Gaetti | 3B | 1998–1999 (150 g) | 1993–1995 (309 g) |
| Matt Stairs | OF | 2001 (128 g) | 2004–2006 (330 g) |
| Neifi Perez | SS | 2004–2006 (264 g) | 2001–2002 (194 g) |
| Jerry Martin | OF | 1979–1980 (291 g) | 1982–1983 (160 g) |
| Kyle Farnsworth | P | 1999–2004 (343 g) | 2009–2010 (78 g) |
| Thad Bosley | OF | 1983–1986 (293 g) | 1987–1988 (95 g) |
| Larry Gura | P | 1970–1973, 1985 (60 g) | 1976–1985 (311 g) |
| Pat Tabler | 1B | 1981–1982 (60 g) | 1988–1990 (287 g) |
| Tom Gordon | P | 2001–2002 (66 g) | 1988–1995 (277 g) |
| Jim Sundberg | C | 1987–1988 (85 g) | 1985–1986 (255 g) |
| Doug Bird | P | 1981–1982 (47 g) | 1973–1978 (292 g) |
| Ted Abernathy | P | 1965–1966, 1969–1970 (171 g) | 1970–1972 (144 g) |
| Wade Davis | P | 2017 (59 g) | 2013–2016, 2021 (256 g) |
| Terry Shumpert | 2B | 1996 (27 g) | 1990–1994 (284 g) |
| Justin Grimm | P | 2013–2017 (263 g) | 2018 (16 g) |
| Joey Gathright | OF | 2009 (20 g) | 2006–2008 (258 g) |
| Curt Wilkerson | SS | 1989–1990 (154 g) | 1992–1993 (123 g) |
| Travis Wood | P | 2012–2016 (247 g) | 2017 (28 g) |
| Lindy McDaniel | P | 1963–1965 (191 g) | 1974–1975 (78 g) |
| Angel Salazar | SS | 1988 (34 g) | 1986–1987 (233 g) |
| Ross Gload | 1B | 2000 (18 g) | 2007–2008 (224 g) |
| Tim Collins | P | 2019 (9 g) | 2011–2014 (228 g) |
| Brad Keller | P | 2025 (68 g) | 2018–2023 (150 g) |
| Carlos Santana | 1B | 2025 (8 g) | 2021–2022 (210 g) |
| Moe Drabowsky | P | 1956–1960 (131 g) | 1969–1970 (76 g) |
| Jon Jay | OF | 2017 (141 g) | 2018 (59 g) |
| Dave Clark | OF | 1990, 1997 (186 g) | 1991 (11 g) |
| Nelson Velazquez | OF | 2022–2023 (90 g) | 2023–2024 (104 g) |
| Bob Scanlan | P | 1991–1993 (179 g) | 1996 (9 g) |
| Shawn Camp | P | 2012–2013 (106 g) | 2004–2005 (71 g) |
| Matt Duffy | 3B | 2021 (97 g) | 2023 (79 g) |
| Jason Kendall | C | 2007 (57 g) | 2010 (118 g) |
| Paul Bako | C | 2003–2004 (119 g) | 2006 (56 g) |
| Frank DiPino | P | 1986–1988 (162 g) | 1993 (11 g) |
| Joel Peralta | P | 2016 (5 g) | 2006–2008 (166 g) |
| Glendon Rusch | P | 2004–2006 (104 g) | 1997–1999 (62 g) |
| Benito Santiago | C | 1999 (109 g) | 2004 (49 g) |
| Carlos Peña | 1B | 2011 (153 g) | 2013 (4 g) |
| Chris Stynes | 3B | 2002 (98 g) | 1995–1996 (58 g) |
| Danny Jackson | P | 1991–1992 (36 g) | 1983–1987 (119 g) |
| Jason Hammel | P | 2014–2016 (84 g) | 2017–2018 (71 g) |
| Mitch Williams | P | 1989–1990 (135 g) | 1997 (7 g) |
| Frank Schwindel | 1B | 2021–2022 (131 g) | 2019 (6 g) |
| Mike Montgomery | P | 2016–2019 (121 g) | 2019–2020 (16 g) |
| Rondell White | OF | 2000–2001 (114 g) | 2003 (22 g) |
| Chris Haney | P | 1998 (5 g) | 1992–1998 (128 g) |
| Juan Cruz | P | 2001–2003 (81 g) | 2009–2010 (51 g) |
| Andres Blanco | 2B | 2009 (53 g) | 2004–2006 (78 g) |
| Jose Cuas | P | 2023–2024 (36 g) | 2022–2023 (92 g) |
| Rodney Scott | 2B | 1978 (78 g) | 1975 (48 g) |
| Ron Mahay | P | 2001–2002 (28 g) | 2008–2009 (98 g) |
| Larry Casian | P | 1995–1997 (89 g) | 1997 (32 g) |
| Ted Savage | OF | 1967–1968 (99 g) | 1971 (19 g) |
| Emilio Bonifacio | OF | 2014 (69 g) | 2013 (42 g) |
| Mike Perez | P | 1995–1996 (92 g) | 1997 (16 g) |
| Billy Hamilton | OF | 2020 (14 g) | 2019 (93 g) |
| Terrance Gore | OF | 2018 (14 g) | 2014–2017, 2019 (86 g) |
| Jim Colborn | P | 1969–1971 (54 g) | 1977–1978 (45 g) |
| Todd Wellemeyer | P | 2003–2005 (57 g) | 2006–2007 (40 g) |
| Todd Dunwoody | OF | 2001 (33 g) | 2000 (61 g) |
| Dave Owen | SS | 1983–1985 (85 g) | 1988 (7 g) |
| Donnie Murphy | 3B | 2013 (46 g) | 2004–2005 (39 g) |
| Jay Baller | P | 1985–1987 (79 g) | 1990 (3 g) |
| Martin Maldonado | C | 2019 (4 g) | 2019 (74 g) |
| Marc Pisciotta | P | 1997–1998 (67 g) | 1999 (8 g) |
| Carmelo Martinez | OF | 1983 (29 g) | 1991 (44 g) |
| Trevor Cahill | P | 2015–2016 (62 g) | 2017 (10 g) |
| Alec Mills | P | 2018–2022 (68 g) | 2016 (3 g) |
| Jorge Lopez | P | 2024 (24 g) | 2018–2020 (47 g) |
| Franmil Reyes | DH | 2022 (48 g) | 2023 (19 g) |
| Randy Rosario | P | 2018–2019 (57 g) | 2019–2020 (10 g) |
| Steve Renko | P | 1976–1977 (42 g) | 1983 (25 g) |
| Mike Difelice | C | 2004 (4 g) | 2003 (62 g) |
| Rich Hill | P | 2005–2008 (64 g) | 2025 (2 g) |
| Jason Smith | 2B | 2001 (2 g) | 2007–2008 (62 g) |
| Jesse Chavez | P | 2018, 2022 (35 g) | 2010–2011 (27 g) |
| Casey Coleman | P | 2010–2012 (50 g) | 2014 (10 g) |
| Aroldis Chapman | P | 2016 (28 g) | 2023 (31 g) |
| Jerry Spradlin | P | 2000 (8 g) | 2000 (50 g) |
| Jason Adam | P | 2020–2021 (25 g) | 2018 (31 g) |
| Dave Gumpert | P | 1985–1986 (47 g) | 1987 (8 g) |
| Jorge De La Rosa | P | 2018 (17 g) | 2006–2007 (36 g) |
| Richard Lovelady | P | 2024 (7 g) | 2019–2021 (46 g) |
| Brad Boxberger | P | 2023 (22 g) | 2019 (29 g) |
| Jeremy Jeffress | P | 2020 (22 g) | 2011–2012 (27 g) |
| Rawly Eastwick | P | 1981 (30 g) | 1980 (14 g) |
| Scott Downs | P | 2000 (18 g) | 2014 (17 g) |
| Don Wengert | P | 1998 (23 g) | 1999 (11 g) |
| Randy Veres | P | 1994 (10 g) | 1997 (24 g) |
| Tommy Davis | OF | 1970, 1972 (26 g) | 1976 (8 g) |
| Ryan Freel | OF | 2009 (14 g) | 2009 (18 g) |
| Luke Farrell | P | 2018, 2022 (24 g) | 2017 (1 g) |
| Miguel Batista | P | 1997 (11 g) | 2000 (14 g) |
| Dennis Rasmussen | P | 1992 (3 g) | 1992–1993, 1995 (19 g) |
| Damian Jackson | 2B | 2004 (7 g) | 2004 (14 g) |
| Derek Botelho | P | 1985 (11 g) | 1982 (8 g) |
| Les Walrond | P | 2006 (10 g) | 2003 (7 g) |
| Trent Hubbard | OF | 2003 (10 g) | 2001 (5 g) |
| Jorge Pedre | C | 1992 (4 g) | 1991 (10 g) |
| Arodys Vizcaino | P | 2014 (5 g) | 2022 (7 g) |
| Alan Hargesheimer | P | 1983 (5 g) | 1986 (5 g) |
| Tyler Duffey | P | 2023 (1 g) | 2024 (9 g) |
| Brooks Kriske | P | 2025 (4 g) | 2023 (4 g) |
| Eric Stout | P | 2022 (2 g) | 2018 (3 g) |
From the SABR Lahman Baseball Database (CC BY-SA 3.0), 1876–2025. A season counts when the player played at least one regular-season game for the franchise.Cubs seasons include the Chicago White Stockings (1876–1889), Chicago Colts (1890–1897) and Chicago Orphans (1898–1902).
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Questions
How many players have played for both the Chicago Cubs and the Kansas City Royals?
118 in the Lahman Baseball Database from 1969 to 2025, including Willie Wilson, Bill Buckner, David DeJesus and Eric Hosmer. A player counts when he played at least one regular-season game for each franchise.
Who was the first player on this list to play for both?
Moe Drabowsky: Chicago Cubs first, then the Kansas City Royals from 1969.
Who has played for both recently?
Nicky Lopez, Brad Keller, Carlos Santana, Nelson Velazquez, Jose Cuas and Jorge Lopez and 4 more, with a season for one of the two in 2024 or 2025.
Does a player count if the team has moved or changed its name?
Yes. Seasons count for today's franchise, the way the Lahman database links every team-season to a franchise. Cubs seasons include the Chicago White Stockings (1876–1889), Chicago Colts (1890–1897) and Chicago Orphans (1898–1902).
Careers from the SABR Lahman Baseball Database (CC BY-SA 3.0). Team logos are trademarks of their respective teams (logos via TheSportsDB). Independent and not affiliated with MLB or any team. Credits