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Bobby Witt Jr.
Robert Andrew Witt Jr. (born June 14, 2000) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Royals selected him second overall in the 2019 MLB draft and he made his MLB debut in 2022. In 2024, Witt was named to his first All-Star Game and earned both his first Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger Award. He was again named an All-Star in 2025. Internationally, Witt represents the United States.
Witt is the first shortstop in MLB history to have achieved two 30–30 seasons (30 home runs and 30 stolen bases), having done so in 2023 and 2024; Francisco Lindor has since matched this feat, with 30–30 seasons in 2023 and 2025. Witt is also the first player in MLB history to hit 20 home runs and steal 30 bases in each of their first four seasons.
Witt attended Colleyville Heritage High School in Colleyville, Texas. As a junior in 2018, he batted .446 with 10 home runs. That summer, he won the High School Home Run Derby at Nationals Park. Later that summer, he played in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game at Wrigley Field, where he hit a home run and was named team MVP, as well as the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park. In his senior season in 2019, he was named the Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year after batting .515 with 15 home runs, 54 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. He committed to play college baseball for the Oklahoma Sooners of the University of Oklahoma.
Witt was one of the top prospects for the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. He was selected by the Kansas City Royals with the second overall pick. Forgoing his commitment to Oklahoma, he signed with the Royals for $7.79 million and made his professional debut at the end of June with the Rookie-level Arizona League Royals. In 37 games over two months, he batted .262/.317/.354 with one home run, 27 RBIs, and nine stolen bases in 10 attempts.
Witt did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He participated in the Royals alternate site training, impressing Royals leadership. He began the 2021 season with the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals. In June, he was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game at Coors Field. After batting .292/.369/.570 with 16 home runs, 50 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases over 60 games, he was promoted in July to the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers. Over 62 games with Omaha, Witt slashed .285/.352/.581 with 17 home runs, 46 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. He was awarded both the USA Today Minor League Player of the Year Award and the Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year Award.
Witt began practicing at third base during spring training in 2022. On April 5, the Royals announced that Witt had made their Opening Day roster. He made his MLB debut on Opening Day on April 7 as the Royals' starting third baseman, with Adalberto Mondesi starting shortstop, Witt's usual position. Witt hit his first major league home run on May 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals. In mid-May, Witt became the Royals starting shortstop, following an injury to Mondesi. Against the Detroit Tigers on September 3, Witt hit his 20th home run, making him the fifth player in MLB history to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in their first season.
In 2022, Witt batted .254/.294/.428 in 591 at bats, with 80 RBIs, 6 triples (4th in the AL), 20 home runs, 82 runs scored, and 30 steals (4th) in 37 attempts. He was the 10th-youngest player in the AL. He tied with Trea Turner for the fastest sprint speed in the majors among qualified batters, at 30.3 feet per second. He finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting.
In 2023, Witt batted .276/.319/.495 with 30 home runs, 96 RBIs, and a league-leading 49 stolen bases. He led the major leagues with 11 triples and became the first player in MLB history to have 30 home runs, 10 triples, and 45 stolen bases in one season. He was also the first Royals player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season. He tied with Elly De La Cruz as the fastest player in baseball, according to Statcast.
Bobby Witt Jr.
Robert Andrew Witt Jr. (born June 14, 2000) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Royals selected him second overall in the 2019 MLB draft and he made his MLB debut in 2022. In 2024, Witt was named to his first All-Star Game and earned both his first Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger Award. He was again named an All-Star in 2025. Internationally, Witt represents the United States.
Witt is the first shortstop in MLB history to have achieved two 30–30 seasons (30 home runs and 30 stolen bases), having done so in 2023 and 2024; Francisco Lindor has since matched this feat, with 30–30 seasons in 2023 and 2025. Witt is also the first player in MLB history to hit 20 home runs and steal 30 bases in each of their first four seasons.
Witt attended Colleyville Heritage High School in Colleyville, Texas. As a junior in 2018, he batted .446 with 10 home runs. That summer, he won the High School Home Run Derby at Nationals Park. Later that summer, he played in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game at Wrigley Field, where he hit a home run and was named team MVP, as well as the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park. In his senior season in 2019, he was named the Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year after batting .515 with 15 home runs, 54 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. He committed to play college baseball for the Oklahoma Sooners of the University of Oklahoma.
Witt was one of the top prospects for the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. He was selected by the Kansas City Royals with the second overall pick. Forgoing his commitment to Oklahoma, he signed with the Royals for $7.79 million and made his professional debut at the end of June with the Rookie-level Arizona League Royals. In 37 games over two months, he batted .262/.317/.354 with one home run, 27 RBIs, and nine stolen bases in 10 attempts.
Witt did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He participated in the Royals alternate site training, impressing Royals leadership. He began the 2021 season with the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals. In June, he was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game at Coors Field. After batting .292/.369/.570 with 16 home runs, 50 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases over 60 games, he was promoted in July to the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers. Over 62 games with Omaha, Witt slashed .285/.352/.581 with 17 home runs, 46 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases. He was awarded both the USA Today Minor League Player of the Year Award and the Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year Award.
Witt began practicing at third base during spring training in 2022. On April 5, the Royals announced that Witt had made their Opening Day roster. He made his MLB debut on Opening Day on April 7 as the Royals' starting third baseman, with Adalberto Mondesi starting shortstop, Witt's usual position. Witt hit his first major league home run on May 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals. In mid-May, Witt became the Royals starting shortstop, following an injury to Mondesi. Against the Detroit Tigers on September 3, Witt hit his 20th home run, making him the fifth player in MLB history to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in their first season.
In 2022, Witt batted .254/.294/.428 in 591 at bats, with 80 RBIs, 6 triples (4th in the AL), 20 home runs, 82 runs scored, and 30 steals (4th) in 37 attempts. He was the 10th-youngest player in the AL. He tied with Trea Turner for the fastest sprint speed in the majors among qualified batters, at 30.3 feet per second. He finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting.
In 2023, Witt batted .276/.319/.495 with 30 home runs, 96 RBIs, and a league-leading 49 stolen bases. He led the major leagues with 11 triples and became the first player in MLB history to have 30 home runs, 10 triples, and 45 stolen bases in one season. He was also the first Royals player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season. He tied with Elly De La Cruz as the fastest player in baseball, according to Statcast.
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