Kris Bubic Bio
Kristofer Bubic, known professionally as Kris Bubic, is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on August 19, 1997, in Cupertino, California, he made his MLB debut in 2020 and has spent his entire big-league career with the Royals organization. In 2025, Bubic earned his first selection to the MLB All-Star Game, a milestone that reflected his emergence as a reliable starter in the Kansas City rotation.
A left-handed pitcher with a strong amateur pedigree, Bubic was a first-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft out of Stanford University. After early struggles and a major injury setback, he reestablished himself as a starter in 2025, putting together one of the best stretches of his professional career before a late-season injury cut his year short.
Early Life and Background
Kristofer Bubic was born on August 19, 1997, in Cupertino, California. He is of Croatian descent through both of his parents, a heritage that connects him to a broader European-American community in the San Francisco Bay Area. Growing up in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley, Bubic was exposed to athletics at a young age and developed an early love for competitive sports.
Bubic attended Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, California, graduating in 2015. In addition to baseball, he played football during his time at Mitty, an experience that helped shape his athleticism and competitive approach. On the mound, his high school numbers were dominant: as a junior, he posted an 8–2 record with a 0.89 earned run average, and as a senior, he compiled a 1.20 ERA while striking out 82 batters over 70 innings pitched.
Despite his strong senior season, Bubic was not selected in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft. He instead chose to continue his education and baseball career at Stanford University, one of the premier college baseball programs in the country. That decision gave him time to refine his craft and grow physically before entering the professional ranks.
Path to Professional Baseball
At Stanford, Bubic quickly became a key piece of the Stanford Cardinal pitching staff. As a freshman in 2016, he appeared in 21 games, including six starts, and posted a 3.26 ERA despite an 0–3 record. The following year, as a sophomore, he made 15 starts and went 7–6 with a 2.79 ERA, striking out 96 batters in 90 innings and showing the kind of consistency that catches the attention of major league scouts.
Following his sophomore season, Bubic played in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox, one of the most prestigious summer leagues in amateur baseball. He earned Pitcher of the Year honors after going 4–1 with a 1.65 ERA in just over 32 innings. Returning to Stanford as a junior in 2018, Bubic went 8–1 with a 2.62 ERA and was named to the Pac-12 All-Conference Team, cementing his status as a top draft prospect.
Bubic was selected 40th overall by the Kansas City Royals in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft and signed with the club on June 18 for $1,597,500. He was the last of four Royals first-round picks that year, all pitchers, joining Brady Singer, Jackson Kowar, and Daniel Lynch IV as part of a celebrated draft class aimed at rebuilding Kansas City’s pitching depth.
Kris Bubic Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
Bubic began his professional career with the Idaho Falls Chukars of the Pioneer League, where he was named a Pioneer League All-Star. In ten starts, he posted a 2–3 record with a 4.03 ERA, adjusting to the speed and rhythm of professional hitters. His performance earned him a promotion and an opportunity to climb the Royals’ minor league ladder.
In 2019, Bubic opened the season with the Lexington Legends before earning a midseason promotion to the Wilmington Blue Rocks. He went 4–1 with a 2.08 ERA in nine starts at Lexington, then continued his strong play at Wilmington, finishing 7–4 with a 2.30 ERA across 17 starts. His dominant 2019 campaign culminated in a selection to the All-Star Futures Game, a showcase of baseball’s top minor league talent.
Major League Debut and Early Royals Years (2020–2021)
Bubic made his major league debut on July 31, 2020, against the Chicago White Sox, pitching four innings and allowing three earned runs while striking out three batters. The shortened 2020 season gave him ten starts, and he finished the year with a 1–6 record, a 4.32 ERA, and 49 strikeouts over 50 innings pitched. The results were difficult, but the experience was invaluable for a young pitcher learning the pace and pressure of the big leagues.
In 2021, Bubic showed modest improvement, going 6–7 with a 4.43 ERA as he continued to develop as a starting pitcher. He remained a regular part of the Royals’ rotation, working through the inevitable growing pains that come with adjusting to major league hitting.
Setbacks and Comeback (2022–2024)
The 2022 season was a difficult one for Bubic, as he finished 3–13 with a 5.58 ERA over 129 innings. He struggled with command and contact, allowing the highest opponent on-base percentage, the highest walks-per-nine-innings rate, and the highest WHIP among major league pitchers that year. The Royals continued to give him opportunities, betting on his talent and work ethic.
Bubic returned to the Royals’ rotation to begin the 2023 season, going 0–2 with a 3.94 ERA in three starts. On April 21, 2023, the team announced that he would undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his season prematurely. The elbow injury was a significant setback, but Bubic worked his way back and was activated from the injured list on July 6, 2024.
Back in the majors in 2024, Bubic reinvented himself as a reliever. He posted a 1–1 record with a 2.67 ERA and 39 strikeouts across 30⅓ innings in 27 appearances, recording seven holds and one save. His performance out of the bullpen demonstrated renewed velocity and confidence.
Royals Era and All-Star Breakout (2025)
Bubic returned to the starting rotation in 2025 and delivered the finest stretch of his big-league career. On July 6, 2025, he was named to the 2025 MLB All-Star Game roster, his first career selection, recognizing a first half in which he compiled an 8–7 record and a 2.55 ERA with 116 strikeouts across more than 116 innings in 20 starts. The All-Star nod was a turning point that validated years of perseverance through injury and inconsistency.
Unfortunately, his breakout year was cut short. On July 26, 2025, after pitching 2⅔ innings against the Cleveland Guardians, the Royals announced that Bubic would miss the remainder of the season with a rotator cuff strain. Despite the early end, his 2025 performance established him as a core member of Kansas City’s pitching staff.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Bubic’s career are his 2018 first-round selection, his 2019 All-Star Futures Game appearance, his 2020 MLB debut against the Chicago White Sox, his comeback from Tommy John surgery in 2024, and his first All-Star selection in 2025. Each milestone represents a chapter of resilience in a career that has rarely followed a straight line.
Kris Bubic Career Wins
Through the early part of his major league career, Kris Bubic has accumulated wins across multiple seasons with the Kansas City Royals. After limited win totals during his 2020 debut and the injury-marred 2022–2023 stretch, he has rebuilt his win totals as a starter, highlighted by an 8–7 record in 20 starts before his 2025 injury.
Major League Highlights
Bubic’s first major league win came during the 2020 season, his rookie year. He added six wins in 2021, three more in 2022, and additional victories out of the bullpen during his 2024 return. His 2025 first-half run produced the most wins of any stretch of his MLB career and coincided with his All-Star selection.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major League Baseball (Kansas City Royals, 2020–2025) | 22 | — | — |
Kris Bubic Family
Family Background and Heritage
Kristofer Bubic was raised in Cupertino, California, by parents of Croatian descent. His Croatian heritage, shared through both of his mother and father, has remained an important part of his family identity and personal background.
Personal Life
Bubic grew up in the San Jose, California, area and attended Archbishop Mitty High School before continuing his education at Stanford University. He has built his professional life around baseball and remains identified primarily with the Kansas City Royals organization that drafted and developed him.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked the most successful and most challenging year of Kris Bubic’s career. Returning to a starting role after his 2024 bullpen work, he posted an 8–7 record with a 2.55 ERA and 116 strikeouts across more than 116 innings in 20 starts before the All-Star break. On July 6, 2025, his first-half performance earned him a spot on the American League All-Star roster, a long-awaited recognition of his talent.
Just three weeks later, Bubic’s season was interrupted by a rotator cuff strain diagnosed after his July 26 outing against the Cleveland Guardians. The Royals announced that he would miss the remainder of the year, cutting short what had been a breakout campaign. Despite the abrupt ending, his 2025 results firmly established him as a foundational piece of the Kansas City pitching staff heading into the future.
