Tyler Gentry Makes MLB Debut With Kansas City Royals
PAPILLION, NEB. – Omaha Storm Chasers outfielder Tyler Gentry made his MLB debut for the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, August 25 in their game at Kauffman Stadium against the Philadelphia Phillies, the fourth Storm Chaser to debut in the Major Leagues with the Royals this season. The 25-year-old Gentry
PAPILLION, NEB. – Omaha Storm Chasers outfielder Tyler Gentry made his MLB debut for the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, August 25 in their game at Kauffman Stadium against the Philadelphia Phillies, the fourth Storm Chaser to debut in the Major Leagues with the Royals this season.
The 25-year-old Gentry joined the Royals in Kansas City for the series finale against Philadelphia and entered the game Sunday as a pinch-hitter for MJ Melendez in the eighth inning and flied out to right field on the first pitch of his at-bat, playing the ninth inning in right field.
With his entry into Sunday’s game, Gentry is the 335th player in franchise history that has made their MLB debut after playing for the Triple-A Omaha club. The Tennessee native is in his fourth season of professional baseball, after being selected by Kansas City in the third round of the 2020 Major League draft, 76th overall, out of the University of Alabama. At the time of his debut, Gentry is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Royals’ Number 15 prospect. Since his Triple-A debut on Opening Day 2023 until his MLB call-up, Gentry appeared in 234 of Omaha’s 268 games (87%), over 50 games more than the next closest player.
A second-year Storm Chaser in 2024, Gentry was a .256 hitter (95-for-371) across 105 games for Omaha, with 13 home runs and 54 runs batted in. He currently ranks tied for 2nd on the Storm Chasers in walks (38), 3rd in hits (95) and tied 3rd in RBI. Gentry had been one of Omaha’s top hitters since July 1, with a .329 average (47-for-143) over the last two months, with 13 extra-base hits (5 home runs) and 25 runs batted in over a 39-game stretch.
After opening 2023 in Triple-A, Gentry spent the entire season with the Chasers and led the team in most offensive categories, including home runs (16), runs batted in (71), hits (120), doubles (28), extra-base hits (46), total bases (200), runs scored (69) and walks (81). His 111 starts in right field were the most of any Omaha player at a single position in the Storm Chasers era (since 2011).
Gentry split the 2022 season between High-A Quad Cities and Double-A Northwest Arkansas and was named a 2nd Team Baseball America Minor League All-Star and MiLB Organization All-Star with Kansas City. Gentry was also recognized in 2022 as Kansas City's Double-A Player of the Year, after earning a promotion to NW Arkansas on June 14.
The outfielder made his professional debut with High-A Quad Cities in 2021 and hit .259 over 44 games, with six home runs and 28 runs batted in, as well as a .844 OPS.
Gentry is the fourth player for the Storm Chasers this season to get called up to the Show, joined with pitchers Will Klein and Walter Pennington, as well as infielder CJ Alexander.