John Rave Makes MLB Debut with Kansas City Royals
May 27, 2025 - International League (IL)
Omaha Storm Chasers News Release
Omaha Storm Chasers outfielder John Rave
(Omaha Storm Chasers, Credit: Minda Haas Kuhlmann)
PAPILLION, NEB. - Omaha Storm Chasers outfielder John Rave made his MLB debut for the Kansas City Royals on Monday, May 26, 2025, in their game at Kauffmann Stadium against the Cincinnati Reds, the sixth Storm Chaser to debut in the Major Leagues this season and the fourth to do so with the Royals.
The 27-year-old's contact was selected by the Royals Monday and he started the first game of their series against the Reds in right field, going 0-for-2 with a walk and sacrifice bunt.
With his start Monday, Rave is the 341st player in franchise history that has made their MLB debut after playing for the Triple-A Omaha club. The Bloomington, Ill. native is in his sixth season of professional baseball, after being selected by the Royals in the fifth round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Illinois State University.
Rave was recognized by the Kansas City Royals as the 2024 Omaha Player of the Year, was a Rising Star in the 2022 Arizona Fall League and selected as a 2021 MiLB.com Organization All-Star for the Royals. 2025 marks his fourth season at the Triple-A level, reaching Omaha for the first time May 2022, with 256 games played for the Storm Chasers over the last four seasons.
Across 44 games for the Storm Chasers in 2025, Rave hit .301 (52-for-173) with a .931 OPS. Omaha's primary leadoff hitter, Rave's 46 runs scored are the most of any Minor League player this season, and his 95 total bases are tied for the 8th-most in the Minors. Rave ranks among the International League leaders this year in triples (4 - 1st), total bases (2nd), extra-base hits (21 - T-3rd), stolen bases (17 - 4th), slugging percentage (.549 - 6th), hits (52 - 7th) and OPS (10th).
In his award-winning 2024 season, Rave hit .259 (129-for-498) with a .816 OPS and led the International League in runs (93), ranked 2nd in extra-base hits (58), 4th in total bases (234) and tied 4th in doubles (32), while leading Omaha hitters in walks (65). His 21 home runs last year tied Spencer Nivens for the most by a Royals minor leaguer.
Since his first full Minor League season in 2021, Rave leads Royals Minor League hitters in games (498), plate appearances (2144), hits (478), runs (327) and runs batted in (277), ranking 2nd in doubles (87), triples (18), home runs (72) and walks (260). His 139 runs scored since the start of the 2024 season are the second-most of any Triple-A hitter.
Rave is the fourth Storm Chasers player this season to get called up to Kansas City and is the sixth overall to make their Major League debut in 2025. Utility player Tyler Tolbert (2024-25) made his MLB debut with the Royals on March 31 at Milwaukee, while left-handed pitcher Evan Sisk (2023-25) made his MLB debut with the Royals on April 15 at New York (AL) and left-handed pitcher Noah Cameron (2024-25) made his MLB debut with the Royals on April 30 at Tampa Bay. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Noah Murdock (2024) debuted with the Athletics in March and infielder Ryan Fitzgerald (2024) debuted two weeks ago with the Twins.
Images from this story
 Omaha Storm Chasers outfielder John Rave at bat (Mark Kuhlmann) |
 Omaha Storm Chasers outfielder John Rave (Minda Haas Kuhlmann) |
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