Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers players: who played for both
Who played for both the Royals and Rangers?
114 players played for both the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers between 1969 and 2025, including Jim Sundberg, Juan Gonzalez, Dean Palmer and Carlos Beltran. 51 of them played for the Royals first and 59 for the Rangers first; 4 played for both in the same season.
Did you know?
- Steve Jones is the earliest on this list to complete the pair: Rangers first, then the Royals from 1969.
- Walter Pennington is the most recent: Royals first, then the Rangers from 2024.
- Jim Sundberg played the most games across the two: 255 for the Royals and 1,512 for the Rangers.
- 20 of them had two or more separate spells with one of the teams, such as Jim Sundberg.
- Most common positions on this list: P (58), OF (23), C (11), 3B (8).
How many can you name?
Name players who played for both the Royals and the Rangers. The surname is enough. 0 / 114
All 114 players, most games for the two first
| Player | Pos | Royals | Rangers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Sundberg | C | 1985–1986 (255 g) | 1974–1983, 1988–1989 (1512 g) |
| Juan Gonzalez | OF | 2004 (33 g) | 1989–1999, 2002–2003 (1400 g) |
| Dean Palmer | 3B | 1997–1998 (201 g) | 1989, 1991–1997 (774 g) |
| Carlos Beltran | OF | 1998–2004 (795 g) | 2016 (52 g) |
| Curt Wilkerson | SS | 1992–1993 (123 g) | 1983–1988 (610 g) |
| Darrell Porter | C | 1977–1980 (555 g) | 1986–1987 (153 g) |
| Tom Goodwin | OF | 1994–1997 (375 g) | 1997–1999 (316 g) |
| Dave Nelson | 2B | 1976–1977 (105 g) | 1970–1975 (568 g) |
| Ed Kirkpatrick | OF | 1969–1973 (613 g) | 1977 (20 g) |
| Kurt Stillwell | SS | 1988–1991 (524 g) | 1996 (46 g) |
| Steve Balboni | 1B | 1984–1988 (566 g) | 1993 (2 g) |
| Don Slaught | C | 1982–1984 (250 g) | 1985–1987 (292 g) |
| Luis Alicea | 2B | 2001–2002 (207 g) | 1998–2000 (308 g) |
| Joakim Soria | P | 2007–2011, 2016–2017 (427 g) | 2013–2014 (61 g) |
| Juan Beniquez | OF | 1987 (57 g) | 1976–1978 (395 g) |
| Greg Holland | P | 2010–2015, 2020–2021 (394 g) | 2022 (5 g) |
| Greg Pryor | 3B | 1982–1986 (390 g) | 1976 (5 g) |
| Tom Poquette | OF | 1973, 1976–1979, 1982 (356 g) | 1981 (30 g) |
| Jeff Francoeur | OF | 2011–2013 (360 g) | 2010 (15 g) |
| Esteban German | 2B | 2006–2008 (316 g) | 2005, 2009–2011 (48 g) |
| Matt Stairs | OF | 2004–2006 (330 g) | 2006 (26 g) |
| Ron Mahay | P | 2008–2009 (98 g) | 2003–2007 (215 g) |
| Alex Rios | OF | 2015 (105 g) | 2013–2014 (178 g) |
| Desi Relaford | SS | 2003–2004 (255 g) | 2007 (14 g) |
| Kurt Bevacqua | 3B | 1973–1974 (138 g) | 1977–1978 (129 g) |
| Chad Kreuter | C | 1999 (107 g) | 1988–1991, 2003 (135 g) |
| Mitch Williams | P | 1997 (7 g) | 1986–1988 (232 g) |
| Neftali Feliz | P | 2017 (20 g) | 2009–2015 (216 g) |
| Charlie Leibrandt | P | 1984–1989 (194 g) | 1993 (26 g) |
| Leon Roberts | OF | 1983–1984 (113 g) | 1981–1982 (103 g) |
| Ian Kennedy | P | 2016–2020 (163 g) | 2021, 2023 (48 g) |
| Steve Foucault | P | 1978 (3 g) | 1973–1976 (206 g) |
| Brian Shouse | P | 2002 (23 g) | 2003–2006 (185 g) |
| Donnie Sadler | OF | 2001–2002 (89 g) | 2002–2003 (115 g) |
| Jake Diekman | P | 2019 (48 g) | 2015–2018 (150 g) |
| Richie Scheinblum | OF | 1972, 1974 (170 g) | 1971 (27 g) |
| Hanser Alberto | 2B | 2021 (103 g) | 2015–2016, 2018 (89 g) |
| Bucky Dent | SS | 1984 (11 g) | 1982–1983 (177 g) |
| Joe Foy | 3B | 1969 (145 g) | 1971 (41 g) |
| Andres Blanco | 2B | 2004–2006 (78 g) | 2010–2011 (104 g) |
| Robbie Grossman | OF | 2024 (16 g) | 2023–2024 (161 g) |
| Gregg Zaun | C | 2000–2001 (122 g) | 1999 (43 g) |
| Jamey Wright | P | 2003, 2009 (69 g) | 2007–2008 (95 g) |
| Bruce Chen | P | 2009–2014 (157 g) | 2007 (5 g) |
| Thad Bosley | OF | 1987–1988 (95 g) | 1989–1990 (67 g) |
| Mike Minor | P | 2017, 2021 (93 g) | 2018–2020 (68 g) |
| Rob Tejeda | P | 2008–2011 (123 g) | 2006–2008 (37 g) |
| Ruben Mateo | OF | 2004 (32 g) | 1999–2001 (124 g) |
| Matt Treanor | C | 2011 (65 g) | 2010–2011 (89 g) |
| Rick Reichardt | OF | 1973–1974 (42 g) | 1970 (107 g) |
| Jason Frasor | P | 2014–2015 (49 g) | 2013–2014 (99 g) |
| Butch Davis | OF | 1983–1984 (74 g) | 1993–1994 (66 g) |
| Will Smith | P | 2012–2013, 2024 (80 g) | 2023 (60 g) |
| Gaylord Perry | P | 1983 (14 g) | 1975–1977, 1980 (112 g) |
| Jesse Chavez | P | 2010–2011 (27 g) | 2018–2020 (96 g) |
| Chris Young | P | 2015–2017 (82 g) | 2004–2005 (38 g) |
| Jerry Don Gleaton | P | 1987–1989 (105 g) | 1979–1980 (10 g) |
| Endy Chavez | OF | 2001 (29 g) | 2011 (83 g) |
| Mike Wood | P | 2004–2006 (87 g) | 2007 (21 g) |
| Edinson Volquez | P | 2015–2016 (68 g) | 2005–2007, 2019–2020 (38 g) |
| Dave Chalk | 3B | 1980–1981 (96 g) | 1979 (9 g) |
| Nelson Briles | P | 1974–1975 (42 g) | 1976–1977 (60 g) |
| Ron Hansen | SS | 1972 (16 g) | 1968 (86 g) |
| Taylor Hearn | P | 2023 (8 g) | 2019–2023 (92 g) |
| Terry Mathews | P | 1999 (24 g) | 1991–1992 (74 g) |
| Hector Ortiz | C | 1998, 2000–2001 (86 g) | 2002 (7 g) |
| Joe Hoerner | P | 1973–1974 (52 g) | 1976 (41 g) |
| Meibrys Viloria | C | 2018–2020 (67 g) | 2022 (26 g) |
| Chris Stratton | P | 2024–2025 (69 g) | 2023 (22 g) |
| Luis Mendoza | P | 2010–2013 (58 g) | 2007–2009 (32 g) |
| Mike McCormick | P | 1971 (4 g) | 1965–1966 (86 g) |
| Chris James | OF | 1995 (26 g) | 1993–1994 (60 g) |
| Joe Lahoud | OF | 1977–1978 (47 g) | 1976 (38 g) |
| Donnie Murphy | 3B | 2004–2005 (39 g) | 2014 (45 g) |
| Cole Ragans | P | 2023–2025 (57 g) | 2022–2023 (26 g) |
| Matt Duffy | 3B | 2023 (79 g) | 2024 (4 g) |
| Floyd Bannister | P | 1988–1989 (45 g) | 1992 (36 g) |
| Josh Rupe | P | 2010 (11 g) | 2005–2006, 2008–2009 (70 g) |
| Jordan Lyles | P | 2023–2024 (36 g) | 2020–2021 (44 g) |
| Jeremy Jeffress | P | 2011–2012 (27 g) | 2016–2017 (51 g) |
| Aroldis Chapman | P | 2023 (31 g) | 2023 (30 g) |
| Dennys Reyes | P | 2004 (40 g) | 2002 (15 g) |
| Michael Lorenzen | P | 2024–2025 (34 g) | 2024 (19 g) |
| Henry Mercedes | C | 1995–1996 (27 g) | 1997 (23 g) |
| Rudy Seanez | P | 2004 (16 g) | 2002 (33 g) |
| Al Levine | P | 2003 (18 g) | 1998 (30 g) |
| Ryan Bukvich | P | 2002–2004 (44 g) | 2005 (4 g) |
| Nick Capra | OF | 1988 (14 g) | 1982–1983, 1985, 1991 (31 g) |
| Carlos Peña | 1B | 2013 (4 g) | 2001, 2014 (40 g) |
| Nathan Adcock | P | 2011–2012 (36 g) | 2014 (7 g) |
| Keith Creel | P | 1982–1983 (34 g) | 1987 (6 g) |
| Luis Hernandez | SS | 2009 (37 g) | 2012 (2 g) |
| Justin Grimm | P | 2018 (16 g) | 2012–2013 (22 g) |
| Dillon Gee | P | 2016 (33 g) | 2017 (4 g) |
| John Thomson | P | 2007 (2 g) | 2003 (35 g) |
| Carlos Peguero | OF | 2014 (4 g) | 2015 (30 g) |
| Adrian Brown | OF | 2004 (5 g) | 2006 (25 g) |
| Steve Jones | P | 1969 (20 g) | 1968 (7 g) |
| Rick Reed | P | 1992–1993 (20 g) | 1993–1994 (6 g) |
| Brett Tomko | P | 2008 (16 g) | 2011 (8 g) |
| Greg Cadaret | P | 1993 (13 g) | 1998 (11 g) |
| Tucker Ashford | 3B | 1984 (9 g) | 1980 (15 g) |
| Sidney Ponson | P | 2009 (14 g) | 2008 (9 g) |
| Terry Clark | P | 1996 (12 g) | 1997 (9 g) |
| Randy Bass | 1B | 1978 (2 g) | 1982 (16 g) |
| Russ McGinnis | C | 1995 (3 g) | 1992 (14 g) |
| Walter Pennington | P | 2024 (1 g) | 2024 (15 g) |
| Luke Farrell | P | 2017 (1 g) | 2019–2020 (13 g) |
| Scott Anderson | P | 1995 (6 g) | 1987 (8 g) |
| Kip Wells | P | 2008 (10 g) | 2006 (2 g) |
| Albert Abreu | P | 2022 (4 g) | 2022 (7 g) |
| Jason Standridge | P | 2007 (4 g) | 2005 (2 g) |
| Jose Diaz | P | 2006 (4 g) | 2008 (1 g) |
| Luis Pujols | C | 1984 (4 g) | 1985 (1 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.Rangers seasons include the Washington Senators (1961–1971).
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Questions
How many players have played for both the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers?
114 in the Lahman Baseball Database from 1969 to 2025, including Jim Sundberg, Juan Gonzalez, Dean Palmer and Carlos Beltran. 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?
Steve Jones: Texas Rangers first, then the Kansas City Royals from 1969.
Who has played for both recently?
Robbie Grossman, Will Smith, Chris Stratton, Cole Ragans, Matt Duffy and Jordan Lyles and 2 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. Rangers seasons include the Washington Senators (1961–1971).
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