Rafael Furcal had an excellent career. Despite seeing the last few years derailed by an assortment of injuries, Furcal collected 1817 hits and 314 stolen bases. He was a three time All-Star, a Rookie of the Year and a key piece on the Cardinals 2011 World Series championship squad. Even though he was well past his prime, when the KC Royals signed Furcal to a minor league contract, it seemed like a solid move to bring in a veteran presence for the younger players.
Beginning his time in the KC Royals system in Wilmington, Furcal was there for a bit under a week before being promoted to Northwest Arkansas.