Former Blazer Tyler Tolbert Turns Versatility into a Place in Baseball History
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - August 2, 2026
Back-to-back-to-back games in early July not only thrust Tyler Tolbert into the national spotlight but also placed him into the major league baseball record book. It’s his versatility that ultimately led the former Hewitt-Trussville High and UAB standout to that point.
Perhaps the best way to chart Tolbert’s versatility is to see where he lines up in the Kansas City Royals lineup. He has played nearly every position on the field in his professional baseball career, including a few stints as an emergency pitcher after the game gets out of hand, and is very comfortable wherever he’s asked to play. Versatility – this time at the plate – is also what pushed Tolbert into the major league baseball record books.
Tolbert had hits in 12 consecutive at-bats over three appearances in a four-day period from July 4-7. He had back-to-back five-hit games, possibly marking the first time he had five hits in a game since his final game in a UAB uniform. In that game, Tolbert was 5-for-5 with three runs, four RBIs, a walk and two stolen bases during a win over Southern Miss on May 18, 2019. His latest two five-hit efforts, coupled with hits in his final two at-bats in the game before, grabbed him more attention.
Tolbert tied a record for hits in consecutive plate appearances. Johnny Kling set the record of 12 consecutive hits in 1902 and Walt Dropo matched it in 1952. Nobody else reached the mark until Tolbert did it in a pair of games against the Philadelphia Phillies and one against the New York Mets. Versatility played a part in tying the record as Tolbert reached bases in different ways. The speedy Tolbert had seven infield hits, a pair of line drive singles, a double and two home runs. His final hit was a checked swing single that rolled slowly to the right side and he easily beat the throw to first. The bat he used while joining other two record holders was sent to Cooperstown, N.Y. to be displayed in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
“Yeah, it was really cool,” Tolbert said in a phone interview with The Banner. “I'll tell you, like I told other people, there was some luck in there. I felt like we had a couple of lucky ones in there. We had to go leg out some. I think I had two check swings. There were different type of hits. I don’t know how to describe it honestly. It was just one of those things where you don’t realize the significance of it until like later on.”
The streak ended on his final at-bat when he flied out to short right field in the ninth inning of the 16-12 win over the Mets on July 7th.
“I was just smiling,” Tolbert said. “It was just like ‘Whatever happens, happens at this point.’ We went to (2 balls and no strikes) and I’m like ‘Am I going to get walked here?’ But AJ Minter executed a really good pitch with a cutter and got me on a fly out. It was just a fun streak to be part of.”
Tolbert received a large ovation from the New York crowd as he jogged to the dugout when the streak came to an end. It was certainly the biggest highlight of what is a young major league career for the 28-year-old Birmingham native. He was a 13th round pick by the Royals in the 2019 MLB draft. In 2022, while playing for Quad Cities in High A, he stole 60 bases without getting caught. It was the first time in minor league or major league baseball that a player had that many steals with a 100 percent success rate. In 2024, he had a total of 48 stolen bases while playing in Double A and Triple A and was selected as minor league baserunner of the year by the Royals organization.
Tolbert’s was first called up to the major leagues by the Royals on March 31, 2025. His first game came on the road in the Milwaukee Brewers home opener. He failed to get a hit in his only appearance at the plate but it was still a day to remember.
“It's like one of those out-of-body experiences,” Tolbert said. “It was really fun, really cool. I'll never forget the feeling. Like I told somebody, you feel light but heavy at the same time, like a newborn animal. You can't walk, your legs are jello, you're floating, but you're not floating. It’s a surreal moment.”
He bounced back and forth between Triple A Omaha and Kansas City last summer, playing in 64 games with a .280 batting average and 21 stolen bases in 23 attempts. He began this season in Omaha but was called up in late May. In 43 games thus far, heading into Tuesday night’s game in Minnesota, he is hitting .313 with 12 stolen bases in 15 attempts.
As forementioned, the versatility he’s shown is one of his biggest strengths. Tolbert has played every outfield position and has lined up everywhere but first base in the infield. He hasn’t played catcher since he was a kid but has pitched in five games this season. He’ll used pregame drills to practice the position he’s playing that night but at times switches to another position during the game.
It’s a role that he embraces.
“It’s a lot of responsibility,” Tolbert said. “I know what my role is and I've got to be ready to go at all times for what they need me to do, play in multiple positions. I’m ready to fill in for guys. I'm just grateful to have this opportunity and they trust me to go out there and let me let my talents speak for themselves. Mainly it's just the preparation every night. I just have to mentally be ready to go at any time as long as my body is ready.”