Billy Butler, designated hitter for the Kansas City Royals, was drafted by the Royals in 2004 at the age of just 18. He played in the minor leagues from 2004 through 2006 before joining the Royals in 2007 for 92 games. He ended that season with a batting average of .292, with 96 hits and 23 doubles.
Jeff Francoeur, right fielder with the Kansas City Royals, was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2002 and he first wore a Braves uniform in July, 2005. He started his career in his first game with his first major league hit, a three-run home run. Francoeur continued swinging his bat and hitting the mark in his first season, ending with a .300 batting average, 14 home runs and 44 RBIs. In 2006, Francoeur's batting average dropped to .260, but he hit 29 home runs and drove in 103 runs. He also excelled in defense and stamina, playing in all 162 Braves games of the season.
Like many other major league managers, Ned Yost, manager of the Kansas City Royals, began his major league career as a catcher. He had a short, not particularly good player career, playing from 1980 through 1983 with the Milwaukee Brewers and then a year with the Texas Rangers, finishing his career after the 1985 season with the Montreal Expos. In those six years, Yost had a batting average of just .212.