A phenom? Check. The son of a former Major Leaguer? Check. Will he follow in the successful footsteps of Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr.? Time will tell, but Bobby Witt Jr. is off to a great start on his professional baseball journey. The shortstop was drafted second overall in 2019 by the Royals, and he will start the 2022 season in the Majors.
Here's what to know about Witt, the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline.
FAST FACTS
MLB organization: Royals
Birthdate: June 14, 2000 (Age 21 in 2022)
Primary position: SS
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 200 lbs.
Bats/throws: right/right
Hometown: Colleyville, Texas
School: Colleyville Heritage High School (Texas)
Drafted: 2nd overall, 2019 (by KC)
He was nearly the only 30-30 player in MiLB last season
Witt came about as close as possible to completing a 30-30 season as one can get without actually doing so. He hit a career-high 33 homers in 2021, which put him halfway to the 30-30 mark, however he finished with just 29 stolen bases. But how close did he get to swiping 30 bags?
Well, Witt actually stole his 30th base of the season in the third inning on Sept. 30th, but rain struck shortly after. The game was suspended and eventually cancelled, which erased all stats, including Witt's 30th stolen base.
Homer? Or not?
Witt's 33 homers in 2021 were a career high ... though he should have hit 34. In early June, the Royals No. 1 prospect belted a ball out to center field, but forgot to touch home plate. Witt claims he touched the plate, but the umpire saw it differently and it's the umpire's word that counts. Officially, the shortstop was credited with a triple.
He launched three homers in one game on May 30, and four homers in five at-bats overall
Witt slumped at the plate to start the 2021 season, but that changed in a hurry during the last week of May, when he smashed four homers in less than 24 hours in games on May 29 and May 30, including three in the latter contest. He entered that stretch with three homers in 85 at-bats on the season for Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes is keeping tabs on him
When Witt launched a massive 484-foot home run during 2021 Spring Training, a certain Super Bowl-winning QB -- and Royals minority owner -- was impressed.
He is the son of Bobby Witt, who pitched in the Majors from 1986-2001
Witt Sr. pitched for the Rangers, A's, Marlins, Cardinals, Rays, Indians and D-backs over a 16-year MLB career. In his final season, 2001, he won a World Series ring with Arizona. There's a great photo featuring Witt Sr., his son and the World Series trophy that Witt Jr. tweeted on his dad's birthday. When Junior went No. 2 overall to the Royals in the 2019 MLB Draft, he and his father became the highest-drafted father/son combination in MLB history -- Witt Sr. was taken No. 3 overall in 1985, one pick ahead of Barry Larkin and three picks ahead of Barry Bonds.
He was the 2019 National Gatorade Player of the Year
Witt hit .489 with 15 home runs as a senior at Colleyville Heritage High School (Texas) and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year.
He won a gold medal with Team USA in 2018
Witt hit .576 (19-for-33) with three doubles, three triples and three home runs to help Team USA win gold at the COPABE U-18 Pan-American Championships.
He won the 2018 High School Home Run Derby
Witt launched eight homers in 76 seconds to defeat Rece Hinds, who hit seven, in the championship round in front of 43,698 fans at Nationals Park, not to mention MLB All-Stars.