KANSAS CITY ROYALS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. BOBBY WITT JR., SS
AGE: 19. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-1. WT: 185.
DRAFTED: HS—Colleyville, Texas, 2019 (1st round).
SIGNED BY: Chad Lee
TRACK RECORD: Witt Jr. bested his father by one draft slot when the Royals picked him second overall in 2019. The elder Witt, a righthander from Oklahoma, was the third overall pick in 1985 and went on to pitch 16 years in the big leagues. Witt Jr. was a regular on the showcase circuit as an amateur. He won the high school home run derby at Nationals Park during 2018 all-star weekend and led USA Baseball’s18U National Team to a gold medal at the 2018 Pan-American Championships. He followed that up by winning the BA High School Player of the Year award his senior year and signed with the Royals for $7,789,000, the largest draft bonus in franchise history.
Witt checks all the boxes for what is expected of a major league shortstop, with a super-athletic frame reminiscent of longtime Rockies star Troy Tulowitzki. Witt struggled with his timing in the Rookie-level Arizona League after a long layoff and hit just .262 with one home run in 37 games. Scouts noted Witt was too passive at the plate instead of driving pitches he could hit, but during instructional league he showed a much more aggressive approach with the ability to hit the ball to all fields. At his best, Witt shows good feel to hit, plus bat speed and a short, compact swing. He projects as an above-average hitter who should tap into his plus raw power.
