Eibner Makes MLB Debut With Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After getting his initial call-up game rained out on Thursday, former Razorback Brett Eibner made his Major League debut Friday night with the Kansas City Royals. Eibner is the 54th Razorback all-time to make it to the major leagues.

Eibner joins Matt Reynolds as the newest Hogs to get the call with the MLB season still in its early months. With both players, Arkansas now has eight players representing at the big league level including Dallas Keuchel, James McCann, Drew Smyly, Logan Forsythe, Craig Gentry and Mike Bolsinger.

Eibner was drafted by the Royals in 2010 in the 2nd round as the 54th overall pick and has progressively worked his way through the minor league system. He started his professional career in the Rookie League with the Idaho Falls Chukars.

He worked his way up one level each season following his draft year, moving to low Single-A Kane County in 2011 and then high Single-A Wilmington in 2012.

Eibner had somewhat of a homecoming in 2013 when he was assigned to the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals. That year, the Texan batted .243 with 19 home runs and 41 RBI

The outfielder stayed on the move the following year starting the 2014 season at Triple=A Omaha out of spring training and he had been there up until his Thursday call up. Last year with Omaha, Eibner hit a career-best .303 with 19 home runs and 81 RBI.

In all five of his full seasons in the minors, only once did Eibner not eclipse the 10 home run total. Twice he hit 19 long balls coming in in 2013 with Northwest Arkansas and 2015 with Omaha.

Eibner and the Royals began what has now become a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox in Kansas City Friday night after getting Thursday’s game postponed. Saturday’s game is set for a 1:15 p.m. CDT start, followed by Sunday’s game, also at 1:15 p.m.

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