Kansas City Royals and New York Mets players: who played for both
Who played for both the Royals and Mets?
128 players played for both the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets between 1969 and 2025, including Amos Otis, Carlos Beltran, Jerry Grote and Kevin McReynolds. 61 of them played for the Royals first and 64 for the Mets first; 3 played for both in the same season.
Did you know?
- Galen Cisco is the earliest on this list to complete the pair: Mets first, then the Royals from 1969.
- Tyler Zuber is the most recent: Royals first, then the Mets from 2025.
- Amos Otis played the most games across the two: 1,891 for the Royals and 67 for the Mets.
- 22 of them had two or more separate spells with one of the teams, such as Amos Otis.
- Most common positions on this list: P (61), OF (28), C (12), SS (11).
How many can you name?
Name players who played for both the Royals and the Mets. The surname is enough. 0 / 128
All 128 players, most games for the two first
| Player | Pos | Royals | Mets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amos Otis | OF | 1970–1983 (1891 g) | 1967, 1969 (67 g) |
| Carlos Beltran | OF | 1998–2004 (795 g) | 2005–2011 (839 g) |
| Jerry Grote | C | 1981 (22 g) | 1966–1977 (1235 g) |
| Kevin McReynolds | OF | 1992–1993 (219 g) | 1987–1991, 1994 (787 g) |
| Brian McRae | OF | 1990–1994 (614 g) | 1997–1999 (300 g) |
| Lucas Duda | 1B | 2018–2019 (126 g) | 2010–2017 (760 g) |
| Hubie Brooks | OF | 1993–1994 (109 g) | 1980–1984, 1991 (654 g) |
| Brent Mayne | C | 1990–1995, 2001–2003 (664 g) | 1996 (70 g) |
| John Buck | C | 2004–2009 (584 g) | 2013 (101 g) |
| Angel Berroa | SS | 2001–2007 (627 g) | 2009 (14 g) |
| Gregg Jefferies | 1B | 1992 (152 g) | 1987–1991 (465 g) |
| Joe McEwing | OF | 2005 (83 g) | 2000–2004 (502 g) |
| Bill Pecota | 3B | 1986–1991 (445 g) | 1992 (117 g) |
| Jeff Francoeur | OF | 2011–2013 (360 g) | 2009–2010 (199 g) |
| Jose Offerman | SS | 1996–1998 (415 g) | 2005 (53 g) |
| Keith Miller | 2B | 1992–1995 (157 g) | 1987–1991 (308 g) |
| Michael Tucker | OF | 1995–1996, 2002–2003 (418 g) | 2006 (35 g) |
| Rey Sanchez | SS | 1999–2001 (377 g) | 2003 (56 g) |
| Clint Hurdle | OF | 1977–1981 (359 g) | 1983, 1985, 1987 (59 g) |
| Vince Coleman | OF | 1994–1995 (179 g) | 1991–1993 (235 g) |
| Emil Brown | OF | 2005–2007 (410 g) | 2009 (3 g) |
| Desi Relaford | SS | 2003–2004 (255 g) | 2001 (120 g) |
| Endy Chavez | OF | 2001 (29 g) | 2006–2008 (337 g) |
| Gary Thurman | OF | 1987–1992 (325 g) | 1997 (11 g) |
| Seth Lugo | P | 2024–2025 (59 g) | 2016–2022 (276 g) |
| Bret Saberhagen | P | 1984–1991 (256 g) | 1992–1995 (76 g) |
| Kevin Appier | P | 1989–1999, 2003–2004 (287 g) | 2001 (33 g) |
| Hawk Taylor | C | 1969–1970 (121 g) | 1964–1967 (183 g) |
| Pat Tabler | 1B | 1988–1990 (287 g) | 1990 (17 g) |
| Mark Canha | OF | 2025 (46 g) | 2022–2023 (229 g) |
| David Cone | P | 1986, 1993–1994 (68 g) | 1987–1992, 2003 (188 g) |
| Joe Foy | 3B | 1969 (145 g) | 1970 (99 g) |
| Ruben Gotay | 2B | 2004–2005 (130 g) | 2007 (98 g) |
| Jay Bell | SS | 1997 (153 g) | 2003 (72 g) |
| Jon Nunnally | OF | 1995–1997 (167 g) | 2000 (48 g) |
| Jerry Martin | OF | 1982–1983 (160 g) | 1984 (51 g) |
| Terry Leach | P | 1989 (30 g) | 1981–1982, 1985–1989 (176 g) |
| Roberto Hernandez | P | 2001–2002 (116 g) | 2005–2006 (89 g) |
| Craig Paquette | 3B | 1996–1997 (195 g) | 1998 (7 g) |
| Tim Byrdak | P | 1998–2000 (48 g) | 2011–2013 (136 g) |
| Doug Mientkiewicz | 1B | 2006 (91 g) | 2005 (87 g) |
| Ray Sadecki | P | 1975–1976 (8 g) | 1970–1974, 1977 (165 g) |
| Bruce Chen | P | 2009–2014 (157 g) | 2001–2002 (12 g) |
| Shane Halter | 3B | 1997–1998 (160 g) | 1999 (7 g) |
| Mike Jacobs | 1B | 2009 (128 g) | 2005, 2010 (37 g) |
| Doug Henry | P | 2001 (53 g) | 1995–1996 (109 g) |
| Tommy Davis | OF | 1976 (8 g) | 1967 (154 g) |
| Rick Reed | P | 1992–1993 (20 g) | 1997–2001 (141 g) |
| Nori Aoki | OF | 2014 (132 g) | 2017 (27 g) |
| Alberto Castillo | C | 2004–2005 (63 g) | 1995–1998 (92 g) |
| Jeff Conine | 1B | 1990, 1992, 1998 (130 g) | 2007 (21 g) |
| Kelly Stinnett | C | 2004 (20 g) | 1994–1995, 2006 (131 g) |
| D. J. Carrasco | P | 2003–2005 (101 g) | 2011–2012 (46 g) |
| Dillon Gee | P | 2016 (33 g) | 2010–2015 (114 g) |
| Tim Spehr | C | 1991, 1997–1999 (125 g) | 1998 (21 g) |
| Ambiorix Burgos | P | 2005–2006 (127 g) | 2007 (17 g) |
| Galen Cisco | P | 1969 (15 g) | 1962–1965 (126 g) |
| Terrence Long | OF | 2005 (137 g) | 1999 (3 g) |
| Jerry May | C | 1971–1973 (135 g) | 1973 (4 g) |
| Jaime Cerda | P | 2004–2005 (73 g) | 2002–2003 (59 g) |
| Juan Samuel | 2B | 1992, 1995 (44 g) | 1989 (86 g) |
| Ramon Ramirez | P | 2008 (71 g) | 2012 (58 g) |
| Glendon Rusch | P | 1997–1999 (62 g) | 1999–2001 (65 g) |
| Elmer Dessens | P | 2006 (43 g) | 2009–2010 (81 g) |
| Ricky Bottalico | P | 2000 (62 g) | 2004 (60 g) |
| Matt Reynolds | SS | 2020 (3 g) | 2016–2017, 2022 (116 g) |
| Brian Bannister | P | 2007–2010 (109 g) | 2006 (8 g) |
| Matt Harvey | P | 2020 (7 g) | 2012–2013, 2015–2018 (110 g) |
| Jason Vargas | P | 2014–2017 (74 g) | 2007, 2018–2019 (42 g) |
| Billy Hamilton | OF | 2019 (93 g) | 2020 (17 g) |
| Jose Santiago | P | 1997–2001 (105 g) | 2005 (4 g) |
| Chris Young | P | 2015–2017 (82 g) | 2011–2012 (24 g) |
| Jermaine Allensworth | OF | 1998 (30 g) | 1998–1999 (74 g) |
| Mike Difelice | C | 2003 (62 g) | 2005–2007 (42 g) |
| Paul Byrd | P | 2001–2002 (49 g) | 1995–1996 (55 g) |
| Tommy Pham | OF | 2024 (23 g) | 2023 (78 g) |
| Kyle Farnsworth | P | 2009–2010 (78 g) | 2014 (19 g) |
| Jose Bautista | OF | 2004 (13 g) | 2018 (83 g) |
| Terrance Gore | OF | 2014–2017, 2019 (86 g) | 2022 (10 g) |
| Jake Diekman | P | 2019 (48 g) | 2024 (43 g) |
| Andy Hassler | P | 1976–1978 (60 g) | 1979 (29 g) |
| Wilson Delgado | SS | 2000–2001 (47 g) | 2004 (42 g) |
| Jason Jacome | P | 1995–1997 (71 g) | 1994–1995 (13 g) |
| Bob Heise | SS | 1977 (54 g) | 1967–1969 (26 g) |
| Tom Hall | P | 1976–1977 (39 g) | 1975–1976 (40 g) |
| Jorge Lopez | P | 2018–2020 (47 g) | 2024 (28 g) |
| Luis Rivera | SS | 1998 (42 g) | 1994 (32 g) |
| Michael Wacha | P | 2024–2025 (60 g) | 2020 (8 g) |
| Ken Sanders | P | 1976 (3 g) | 1975–1976 (61 g) |
| Jorge Fabregas | C | 2000 (43 g) | 1998 (20 g) |
| Ed Hearn | C | 1987–1988 (13 g) | 1986 (49 g) |
| Jose Cardenal | OF | 1980 (25 g) | 1979–1980 (37 g) |
| Doug Linton | P | 1995–1996 (28 g) | 1994 (32 g) |
| Abraham Almonte | OF | 2018 (50 g) | 2023 (8 g) |
| Eli Marrero | C | 2005 (32 g) | 2006 (25 g) |
| Chip Ambres | OF | 2005 (53 g) | 2007 (3 g) |
| Ross Jones | SS | 1987 (39 g) | 1984 (17 g) |
| Jeff Keppinger | 2B | 2006 (22 g) | 2004 (33 g) |
| Tyler Zuber | P | 2020–2021 (54 g) | 2025 (1 g) |
| Luis Hernandez | SS | 2009 (37 g) | 2010 (17 g) |
| Richard Lovelady | P | 2019–2021 (46 g) | 2025 (8 g) |
| Miguel Batista | P | 2000 (14 g) | 2011–2012 (39 g) |
| Graeme Lloyd | P | 2003 (16 g) | 2003 (36 g) |
| Jose Lima | P | 2003, 2005 (46 g) | 2006 (4 g) |
| Orber Moreno | P | 1999 (7 g) | 2003–2004 (40 g) |
| Rick Ankiel | OF | 2010 (27 g) | 2013 (20 g) |
| Tucker Ashford | 3B | 1984 (9 g) | 1983 (35 g) |
| Juan Berenguer | P | 1981, 1992 (27 g) | 1978–1980 (16 g) |
| Octavio Dotel | P | 2007 (24 g) | 1999 (19 g) |
| Bob Johnson | P | 1970 (40 g) | 1969 (2 g) |
| Anthony Swarzak | P | 2021 (7 g) | 2018 (29 g) |
| Julio Valera | P | 1996 (31 g) | 1990–1991 (5 g) |
| Bob McClure | P | 1975–1976 (21 g) | 1988 (14 g) |
| Jacob Barnes | P | 2019 (15 g) | 2021 (19 g) |
| Wes Gardner | P | 1991 (3 g) | 1984–1985 (30 g) |
| Craig Brazell | 1B | 2007 (5 g) | 2004 (24 g) |
| Rick Anderson | P | 1987–1988 (13 g) | 1986 (15 g) |
| Derek Wallace | P | 1999 (8 g) | 1996 (19 g) |
| Blaine Boyer | P | 2018 (21 g) | 2011 (5 g) |
| Jerry Cram | P | 1969, 1976 (9 g) | 1974–1975 (14 g) |
| Brooks Pounders | P | 2016 (13 g) | 2019 (7 g) |
| Hideo Nomo | P | 2008 (3 g) | 1998 (17 g) |
| Dan Murray | P | 1999–2000 (14 g) | 1999 (1 g) |
| Rich Hill | P | 2025 (2 g) | 2021 (13 g) |
| Dan Schatzeder | P | 1991 (8 g) | 1990 (6 g) |
| Rich Sauveur | P | 1992 (8 g) | 1991 (6 g) |
| Philip Humber | P | 2010 (8 g) | 2006–2007 (5 g) |
| John Thomson | P | 2007 (2 g) | 2002 (9 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.
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Questions
How many players have played for both the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets?
128 in the Lahman Baseball Database from 1969 to 2025, including Amos Otis, Carlos Beltran, Jerry Grote and Kevin McReynolds. 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?
Galen Cisco: New York Mets first, then the Kansas City Royals from 1969.
Who has played for both recently?
Seth Lugo, Mark Canha, Tommy Pham, Jake Diekman, Jorge Lopez and Michael Wacha and 3 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. Neither of these teams has moved or changed its name.
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