Why Tyler Tolbert Could Be Huge For Royals In 2027

The Kansas City Royals may have a shortstop on the rise going into next season and that is Tyler Tolbert who finished the year batting .285 while recording a .740 OPS and driving in eight runs through 80 games of action. He also launched three home runs.

While Kansas City missed out on the playoffs for the second-straight time since 2025, Tolbert has given the team a lot to feel good about in the future with his confidence at the plate and his aggressiveness on the basepaths.

He recorded 22 stolen bases and was only caught stealing on four attempts, which has been a testament to his elite speed and ability to read the game. His rookie season was about the same when he succeeded on 21 attempts and was thrown out on just two.

Most recently, Tolbert nabbed second base during the ninth inning of the Royals' Sept. 19 matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates but his efforts weren't enough when the Pirates held on to secure a 6-5 win.

He would also have one of his best offensive performances against the division rival Minnesota Twins on July 29, going 2-for-3 at the plate and putting the Royals ahead early with a solo homer. Furthermore, he finished the night having scored two runs.

However, Tolbert has faced competition for reps in the infield against the likes of Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel García. While the pair have shown more consistency, Tolbert's production has given Kansas City a lot of reasons to trust him in an increased role whether it be next season or in 2028 if there's a lockout.

Witt Jr. has batted .281 while Garcia hit .268, numbers that were not too far ahead or behind Tolbert's, leaving the Royals with a tough decision to make on who will be second in line to Witt Jr. in the team's shortstop depth chart.

With Tolbert's impressive season, it is easy to see why Kansas City selected him 379th overall out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham during the 2019 MLB Draft. 

Besides shortstop, Tolbert has also been effective at second base and in rare occasions when manager Matt Quatraro decided to put him in the outfield.

While Tolbert works to keep his bat hot this offseason, general manager J.J. Picollo and the rest of the Royals' front office will try to retain key pieces like pitchers Tony Gonsolin and Carlos Estévez.