Oma-Hos: Eric Hosmer's Chasers Career

Though he has only played in 28 career games with the Omaha Storm Chasers, infielder Eric Hosmer has had quite an impact on the franchise. He has gone on to become a central part to the Kansas City Royals, helping them lead the franchise to their second-ever World Series victory, while also garnering individual accolades including three Gold Glove Awards (2013-15), an All-Star nod and All-Star Game Most Valuable Player honors.

Hosmer was part of the Royals' vaunted farm system that was rated the best in all of baseball prior to the 2011 campaign, a group that also included fellow infielder Mike Moustakas, catcher (later infielder/outfielder)Wil Myers, southpawsDanny Duffy, Mike Montgomery, John Lamb and Chris Dwyer, and right-hander Jake Odorizzi. He was also considered the best first baseman prospect in baseball, as well as the eighth-best overall prospect, by Baseball America.

Hosmer began that 2011 campaign in Omaha as the organization began a new era. In the first game of the year at Albuquerque, Hosmer collected two hits. The next night, three hits, and then two more after that. Three games into 2011, he had collected seven hits in 14 at-bats.

Opening Night at Werner Park arrived on April 16, 2011, with the Storm Chasers facing the Nashville Sounds. Hosmer dazzled the hometown faithful with a trio of knocks in as many at-bats, including a double, while scoring the first run in Werner Park history on Mike Moustakas' RBI double.

Hosmer did not let up that entire month of April, finishing with a .410 batting average (34-83), adding 18 runs, five doubles, two homers and 13 RBI, in addition to 13 walks. Included in that stretch was a four-hit effort on April 28 against the Iowa Cubs that saw him blast a solo homer at Werner Park that evening.

He continued that hot stretch into May, tallying nine hits in 15 at-bats in that span, smashing his third roundtripper with the club. Then on May 5, 2011, Hosmer got the call every ballplayer hopes to receive. He was being promoted to The Show.

After an 0-for-2 showing in his Major League debut on May 6 versus the Oakland Athletics, Hosmer recorded his first Big League hit in his first career start the next day, a single off of A's hurler Tyson Ross. Three days later, another milestone. Hosmer crushed his first Major League home run at Yankees Stadium, a solo shot facing New York righty A.J. Burnett.

In the end, Hosmer completed his Major League 2011 campaign with a fine .293 average (153-523), adding 66 runs, 27 doubles, three triples, 19 homers and 78 RBI in 128 contests. He finished third in American League Rookie of the Year voting behind Tampa Bay pitcher Jeremy Hellickson and Angels outfielder Mark Trumbo.

After struggling with a .232 clip (124-535) in his sophomore season, Hosmer returned to form in his age-23 campaign in 2013 by hitting .302 (188-623) and establishing single-season career-highs in many statistical categories. He would also receive the first of three consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 2013-15 (with the 2016 announcement still pending).

The 2014 season was also tough for Hosmer, which included an injury to his hand; a displaced fracture of a finger on his right hand. As part of his recovery, Hosmer returned to Omaha for a Major League Rehab Assignment at the end of August.

With the Storm Chasers in the midset of a pennant chase, Omaha entered their August 30 matchup with the Colorado Sky Sox in need of a victory. A back-and-forth contest ensued, with Hosmer playing the hero by lifting a walkoff RBI single to give the Storm Chasers a 10-9 victory as part of a multi-hit game.

The win pulled Omaha into a tie for first place in the American Northern Division. Hosmer collected another hit the next night as Omaha clinched the division.

Fully healthy, Hosmer helped the Royals all the way to Game 7 of the 2014 World Series, coming up just short against the San Francisco Giants and their even-year magic that finally ended in 2016.

He received his first American League All-Star nod during the 2016 season and did not disappoint in the Midsummer Classic, smashing a home run while earning All-Star Game Most Valuable Player honors. Again he helped Kansas City reach the World Series, which included a key go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning of Game 6 of the ALCS that helped the club advance. With his team leading the Fall Classic three games to one and needing only one more victory over the Mets, Hosmer cemented his place in Royals history.

His game-tying ninth-inning dash home is the stuff of Royals legend, and allowed Kansas City to extend the contest. Three frames later the Royals plated five runs in a monster rally. Kansas City cyborg closer Wade Davis then came in and shut the door to give the franchise their second World Series championship.

Over just 28 games with the Storm Chasers, Hosmer combined for an outstanding .426 average (46-108) with 23 runs, five doubles, four homers and 18 RBI. At the Major League level he has compiled a .277 clip (940-3388), adding 449 runs, 175 doubles, 15 triples, 102 homers and 172 RBI in 886 total games with Kansas City.

From "super-prospect" to "superstar", it has been quite the journey so far for Eric Hosmer.

Happy Birthday, Hoz!