Kameron Misner Bio
Kameron Lee Misner (born January 8, 1998) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Rays, for whom he made his MLB debut in 2024. Misner is a former first-round amateur selection and has worked his way through the minors as an outfielder with a patient, contact-driven offensive profile.
Early Life and Background
Kameron Lee Misner was born on January 8, 1998, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. He is the son of Terry and Stephanie Misner and grew up alongside a brother, Logan, and a sister, Brylee. The Misner family remained based in southeastern Missouri throughout his childhood.
Misner attended and graduated from Poplar Bluff High School, where he starred as a multi-tool outfielder. As a senior, he batted .422 with eight home runs, 35 runs batted in, and 29 stolen bases. His performance drew attention from professional scouts, and he was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 33rd round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft, but he opted not to sign.
Path to Baseball
After his senior year, Misner chose to attend the University of Missouri to play college baseball for the Missouri Tigers. As a freshman in 2017, he slashed .282/.360/.446 with seven home runs and 34 runs batted in across 58 games and was recognized as a Freshman All-American by D1Baseball. That summer, he played in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, where he batted .378 with eight home runs, 25 runs batted in, and 14 stolen bases in 135 at-bats, earning an All-Star selection.
In 2018, as a sophomore, Misner batted .360 with four home runs and 25 runs batted in across 34 games before a foot injury ended his season early. Entering 2019, he was named a Preseason All-American by Baseball America and Perfect Game/Rawlings, and he slashed .286/.440/.481 with ten home runs, 32 runs batted in, and 20 stolen bases over 56 games. Misner was considered one of the top prospects for the 2019 MLB Draft.
Kameron Misner Career
Early Career (2019-2021)
Misner was selected by the Miami Marlins with the 35th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft and signed with the organization for $2.1 million. He made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast Marlins and, after eight games, was promoted to the Clinton LumberKings of the Single-A Midwest League. Across 42 games between the two clubs, he batted .270/.388/.362 with two home runs and 24 runs batted in. He did not appear in a game in 2020 after the minor league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, Misner opened the year with the Beloit Snappers of High-A Central and slashed .244/.350/.424 with 11 home runs, 56 runs batted in, and 24 stolen bases across 88 games, earning a late-August promotion to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos of the Double-A South. With Pensacola, he hit .309 with one home run and seven doubles in 14 games and was selected to play for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League.
Minor League Progression (2022-2023)
On November 30, 2021, the Marlins traded Misner to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Joey Wendle. He was assigned to the Montgomery Biscuits of the Double-A Southern League for 2022 and slashed .251/.384/.431 with 16 home runs, 62 runs batted in, 25 doubles, and 32 stolen bases over 117 games, displaying a blend of power and speed.
Misner returned to the upper minors in 2023, this time with the Durham Bulls of the Triple-A International League, and batted .226 with 21 home runs, 58 runs batted in, and 21 stolen bases across 130 games. The 2023 season showed continued power development, although his average dipped, and he was assigned back to Durham to open the 2024 season.
Tampa Bay Rays Era (2024-2025)
On August 2, 2024, Misner was selected to the Rays’ 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. In eight games during his rookie campaign, he went 1-for-15.
Misner was optioned to Triple-A Durham to begin 2025, but he was added back to the Rays’ Opening Day roster after an injury to Richie Palacios. On March 28, 2025, he hit his first career home run, a walk-off against the Colorado Rockies, which was the first major-league home run in George M. Steinbrenner Field history. With that swing, Misner became the first player in MLB history to hit his first home run as a walkoff on opening day. In 71 appearances for Tampa Bay in 2025, he batted .213/.273/.345 with five home runs, 22 runs batted in, and eight stolen bases before being designated for assignment on November 6.
Kansas City Royals Era (2025-Present)
On November 10, 2025, the Rays traded Misner to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later. The trade brought Misner full circle back to the organization that had originally drafted him out of high school in 2016.
Notable Events and Milestones
Misner’s signature moment came on March 28, 2025, when he hit a walk-off home run against the Colorado Rockies on opening day at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The blast marked the first home run in the stadium’s major-league history and made Misner the first player in MLB history to hit his first career home run as a walkoff on opening day.
Kameron Misner Career Wins
At the major-league level, Misner has recorded one walk-off home run as his defining moment, hit on opening day of the 2025 season. In the minor leagues, he has produced multiple 10-plus home run seasons and consistent stolen-base totals across Single-A, High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A.
Tampa Bay Rays Highlights
Misner made his MLB debut with the Rays in 2024 and appeared in eight games. In 2025, he played 71 games for Tampa Bay, batting .213/.273/.345 with five home runs, 22 runs batted in, and eight stolen bases, highlighted by his historic opening-day walk-off.
Kameron Misner Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Misner is the son of Terry and Stephanie Misner. He has a brother, Logan, and a sister, Brylee. The family has long supported his baseball career, with his parents based in the Poplar Bluff, Missouri area.
2025 Season Performance
Misner opened 2025 in Triple-A Durham before rejoining the Rays for opening day. His walk-off home run against the Colorado Rockies on March 28 immediately became one of the season’s most talked-about moments and cemented his place in MLB history.
Over 71 appearances with Tampa Bay, Misner batted .213/.273/.345 with five home runs, 22 runs batted in, and eight stolen bases, contributing speed and outfield depth. He was designated for assignment on November 6, 2025, and traded to the Kansas City Royals four days later, beginning a new chapter in his career.