Royals Rookie Speedster Has Given Team Jolt On Basepaths

The Kansas City Royals are a relatively young team that has gotten contributions from several different players. Some of the younger players have really helped the team get going after a rough start to the season.

Kansas City is now 6-5 and sitting in second place in the American League Central, one game behind the Detroit Tigers.

They had added some key pieces such as Jonathan India and Carlos Estevez, but they have some promising young talent already on the roster.

One player who has been an interesting story is speedster Tyler Tolbert. Oliver Vandervoort of FanSided lists him as a player that has been exactly what the team needs.

"This inclusion might be a bit of a surprise, but while he hasn’t been a guy that’s had huge (or really any) impact at the plate, Tolbert has been an absolute demon on the basepaths," Vandervoort wrote.

"The backup infielder has just three official at-bats, but he’s already got four stolen bases. Those four have come in just two games. That included stealing second and third base as a pinch runner on Sunday’s 4-1 win over Baltimore."

Tolbert is obviously best known for his speed, and that is ultimately the way he is going to make the biggest impact with the Royals. Assuming he can stay healthy, he could be a very serviceable piece on the roster and even potentially serve as a defensive replacement late in games.

The Royals don't have much power, but having somebody with elite speed could help them generate more offense.

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