Bobby Witt

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #1 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Expectations have long been high for the son of former pitcher and 18-year major league veteran Bobby Witt. The younger Witt has been successful at every level, going back to youth baseball and continuing through his high school career at Colleyville (Texas) Heritage High, where he was named BA High School Player of the Year in 2019. The second overall pick in that year’s draft has met every challenge thrown his way since signing for a full-slot bonus of $7,789,000 and debuting that summer in the Rookie-level Arizona League. He handled the advanced pitching at the alternate training site in 2020 and was challenged in 2021 with an assignment to Double-A for his first full season. To say that Witt exceeded expectations would be an understatement, as his 2021 season split between Double-A and Triple-A was one for the ages. After a slow start when he made the necessary adjustments, Witt obliterated Double-A pitching and moved up to Triple-A at midseason. He finished in the top five in the minor leagues in hits (144), runs (99), home runs (33) and RBIs (97) and finished just shy of a 30-30 season with 29 stolen bases, all in his age-21 season at the highest levels of the minors. In recognition of his outstanding season, Witt was named BA Minor League Player of the Year.
  
  Scouting Report: Witt checks all of the boxes for a true five-tool player, with all of his tools grading plus or better. What really makes him special is his cognitive ability and unique baseball instincts that allow him to simplify the game. He started the 2021 season relatively slowly but stuck to his game, improving his pitch selection and driving balls in the zone, and it wasn’t long before he began performing at a higher level. Whenever he faces more advanced pitching, Witt and the Royals staff don’t make mechanical adjustments to his short, compact swing or to his approach. Instead, they let his athleticism and instincts take over. The strength that he’s added with maturity has given more power to his swing and allows him to hit balls hard to all fields. He controls the barrel very well and has become more aggressive with his swing while also cutting down on his swings and misses. Witt’s speed that he showed while stealing 29 bases in 2021 was a surprise to many, and he could swipe more bags as he gains experience. He also showed he could leg out infield hits and regularly take an extra base. In addition to his well-rounded offensive game, Witt is the complete package on defense at shortstop with steady hands and a strong, accurate arm. What also separates Witt is how hard he works behind the scenes, a factor contributing to how simple the game appears for him. His makeup is outstanding and he’s a good teammate, helping others with their individual games.
  
  The Future: Witt will soon take his place in the Royals’ lineup. He projects to be a franchise cornerstone who impacts games at the plate, on the bases and in the field. His major league debut will come in 2022 barring injury, and may be as soon as Opening Day.
  
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #1 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Running: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The son of 16-year major league pitcher Bobby Witt, Bobby Jr. has been around the game his entire life. He blossomed into a regular at premier national showcases while at Colleyville (Texas) Heritage High and shined on the national stage when he won the high school home run derby in Washington prior to the 2018 All-Star Game. He won the High School Player of the Year award in 2019 and was drafted second overall by the Royals. He signed for a franchise-record $7.789 million. Witt made his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League and was slated to head to full-season ball in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic canceled the minor league season. He spent the early days of the pandemic working out with major and minor league players near his Texas home, joined the Royals for summer camp in July, spent the remainder of the season at their alternate training site and finished up at instructional league camp at Kauffman Stadium.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Witt projects as a premier starting shortstop with five impact tools. He struggled a bit in his pro debut and raised concerns about how much he swung and missed, but that’s now a distant memory after he began getting more aggressive in his approach. He showed signs of turning the corner at 2019 instructional league and took a big jump in 2020 while facing more advanced pitchers. Witt’s hit tool is borne through plus bat speed and a short, compact, low-maintenance swing. The swing-and-miss concerns disappeared with his improved approach, and he vastly improved hitting with two strikes. He now projects to be at least an average hitter, and possibly plus. Witt’s plus power has never been in question, and there is now increased confidence he will make enough contact to get to it regularly. Already a plus runner with solid instincts on the bases, Witt worked regularly with Royals coaches to become even better instinctually. There is no doubt about him defensively. He projects to be a solid shortstop with elite hands, a good first step and good body control, rounding out the package with a plus, accurate arm. Witt also saw time at third base during the summer and handled the position well.
  
  THE FUTURE: Witt still has to show he can maintain his improved approach and contact skills over a full season, but there is now increased confidence that he will reach his ceiling as an all-star shortstop in the mold of Troy Tulowitzki. Even with the missed season, he made enough progress that a Double-A assignment seems likely at some point in 2021.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #1 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Witt Jr. topped his father by one draft slot when the Royals picked him second overall in 2019. 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's 18U 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.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: 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, however. 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. In addition to being a potential force as a hitter, Witt is a smart baserunner with above-average speed that ticks up to plus underway. His combination of power and speed gives him 20-home run, 20-stolen base potential, with a chance to possibly reach 30-30 in his best years. Defensively, Witt projects to be a top-tier shortstop with elite hands, a quick first step and good body control. He tends to get crossed up on balls in the hole and needs to improve his footwork, but that should come with time. Witt rounds out his supremely athletic package with a plus, accurate arm. While Witt's physical tools are considerable, his outstanding makeup and instincts stand out even more. Spending his first summer of pro ball in the AZL, he quickly bonded with teammates and demonstrated an enthusiasm and positivity readily evident to observers.
  
  THE FUTURE: Witt is a five-tool talent with the potential to become a franchise player, though not everyone is convinced he will hit for a high average. After the Royals were conservative with him during his first pro season, the gloves will be off in 2020 with a likely assignment to low Class A Lexington and early success could result in a move to high Class A Wilmington by midsummer.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #2 prospect in 2019 draft
  Witt Jr. has been famous for years, and not just because he's the son of Bobby Witt, the No. 3 overall pick in the 1985 draft and a 16-year major league righthander. The younger Witt may equal or better where his father was picked, which would make them the highest-drafted father-son pairing ever. Witt has been expected near the top the 2019 draft class for years thanks to his size, speed and power. Last summer, he showed excellent power potential but also raised questions about his hit tool as he showed more swing-and-miss than evaluators would have liked. This spring, admittedly against lesser competition, Witt has shown a better approach and more bat-to-ball skills. He's using the entire field more and staying more balanced at the plate, where in the past he showed a tendency to get a little pull happy and collapse his backside during his swing. Witt shows a solid awareness of the strike zone--when he got into trouble last summer it was because he was swinging and missing at pitches in the zone rather than expanding it. He has plus power that projects for 20-plus home runs at the big league level and potentially even more in the current overheated major league power environment. At shortstop, Witt is the top defender in the class and a future plus defender with elite hands, quick feet and a plus arm. He shows the ability to throw from multiple arm slots and make plays going to both his right and left with excellent throwing accuracy. He's a plus runner who can impact the game on the bases. Scouts have long raved about his makeup and several said that his work ethic and drive will help him get the most out of his considerable tools. Witt will turn 19 years old right after the draft, so he is older for the class. He is seen as both a high-floor player as well as someone with one of the highest ceilings in the class because of his well-rounded toolset and strong odds of sticking at shortstop. If he is even a .230 or .240 hitter, he should have a lengthy big league career because of his defensive ability at shortstop, speed and power. If he proves to be an average or better hitter, he could become a franchise-caliber player.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #3 prospect in 2021
  Witt tormented upper-level pitchers in 2021, which included 15 homers through his first 50 games for Omaha. His overall game is so complete, it’s easy to forget this was his first year in full-season ball. Witt is a true five-tool player. His powerful swing is geared toward lofting pitches a long way, and he crushed fastballs and sliders alike in his time at Triple-A. He’s a dynamic defender, plays with a unique ferocity and made strides to alleviate some of the swing-and-miss concerns in his game. A plus runner, Witt’s speed and athleticism often surprised both managers and evaluators seeing him for the first time. One rival manager predicted Witt’s stolen base numbers could soon improve once he gains more experience on the basepaths.
• 
  Ranked Texas League #1 prospect in 2021
  Picking the top prospect in a league with two of the three best prospects in baseball is never going to be easy. Someone has to be No. 1 and someone else has to rank No. 2. In talking to managers around the league, there’s not really a significant distinction between Witt and Arkansas outfielder Julio Rodriguez. Both are outstanding prospects who are expected to be long-time impact big leaguers with solid chances to be stars. Witt has a better chance to play up the middle than Rodriguez, but there is a chance he ends up eventually outgrowing shortstop and moving to third base. He has plus range now, and his above-average arm is extremely accurate. Both Rodriguez and Witt hit the ball extremely hard. Rodriguez is a better hitter than Witt, but Witt does a better job of getting to his power. He’s a middle-of-the-order hitter who will trade some strikeouts for the chance to hit 35-plus homers.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #3 prospect in 2019
  The 2019 High School Player of the Year, Witt signed for $7,787,400 after being selected with the No. 2 overall pick. The original plan was for Witt to get his feet wet with just a handful of games in the Arizona League before moving to another level, but the Royals opted to have him play his entire debut year in the AZL after he struggled in July. Witt improved his numbers as the season progressed. He hit .280/.329/.400 in August and showed a good feel to hit, plus bat speed and a short, compact stroke. He’s an above-average runner out of the box and plus underway, with good instincts on the bases. Witt projects to be able to stay at shortstop, with decent hands and a good first step, though he needs to improve his footwork because he tends to get crossed on balls in the hole. Witt’s off-the-charts makeup and how well he bonded with his teammates was what stood out most to those around him. "He’s always willing to work,” Royals manager Tony Pena Jr. said. "You see him hustling on and off the field . . . just how he handles his business. He comes to work every day and shows a lot of maturity for a kid his age.”

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #3 prospect in 2022
• Ranked Baseball America's #16 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #24 prospect in 2020

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Expectations have long been high for the son of former pitcher and 18-year major league veteran Bobby Witt. The younger Witt has been successful at every level, going back to youth baseball and continuing through his high school career at Colleyville (Texas) Heritage High, where he was named BA High School Player of the Year in 2019. The second overall pick in that year’s draft has met every challenge thrown his way since signing for a full-slot bonus of $7,789,000 and debuting that summer in the Rookie-level Arizona League. He handled the advanced pitching at the alternate training site in 2020 and was challenged in 2021 with an assignment to Double-A for his first full season. To say that Witt exceeded expectations would be an understatement, as his 2021 season split between Double-A and Triple-A was one for the ages. After a slow start when he made the necessary adjustments, Witt obliterated Double-A pitching and moved up to Triple-A at midseason. He finished in the top five in the minor leagues in hits (144), runs (99), home runs (33) and RBIs (97) and finished just shy of a 30-30 season with 29 stolen bases, all in his age-21 season at the highest levels of the minors. In recognition of his outstanding season, Witt was named BA Minor League Player of the Year.
  
  Scouting Report: Witt checks all of the boxes for a true five-tool player, with all of his tools grading plus or better. What really makes him special is his cognitive ability and unique baseball instincts that allow him to simplify the game. He started the 2021 season relatively slowly but stuck to his game, improving his pitch selection and driving balls in the zone, and it wasn’t long before he began performing at a higher level. Whenever he faces more advanced pitching, Witt and the Royals staff don’t make mechanical adjustments to his short, compact swing or to his approach. Instead, they let his athleticism and instincts take over. The strength that he’s added with maturity has given more power to his swing and allows him to hit balls hard to all fields. He controls the barrel very well and has become more aggressive with his swing while also cutting down on his swings and misses. Witt’s speed that he showed while stealing 29 bases in 2021 was a surprise to many, and he could swipe more bags as he gains experience. He also showed he could leg out infield hits and regularly take an extra base. In addition to his well-rounded offensive game, Witt is the complete package on defense at shortstop with steady hands and a strong, accurate arm. What also separates Witt is how hard he works behind the scenes, a factor contributing to how simple the game appears for him. His makeup is outstanding and he’s a good teammate, helping others with their individual games.
  
  The Future: Witt will soon take his place in the Royals’ lineup. He projects to be a franchise cornerstone who impacts games at the plate, on the bases and in the field. His major league debut will come in 2022 barring injury, and may be as soon as Opening Day.
  
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  Picking the top prospect in a league with two of the three best prospects in baseball is never going to be easy. Someone has to be No. 1 and someone else has to rank No. 2. In talking to managers around the league, there’s not really a significant distinction between Witt and Arkansas outfielder Julio Rodriguez. Both are outstanding prospects who are expected to be long-time impact big leaguers with solid chances to be stars. Witt has a better chance to play up the middle than Rodriguez, but there is a chance he ends up eventually outgrowing shortstop and moving to third base. He has plus range now, and his above-average arm is extremely accurate. Both Rodriguez and Witt hit the ball extremely hard. Rodriguez is a better hitter than Witt, but Witt does a better job of getting to his power. He’s a middle-of-the-order hitter who will trade some strikeouts for the chance to hit 35-plus homers.
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  Witt tormented upper-level pitchers in 2021, which included 15 homers through his first 50 games for Omaha. His overall game is so complete, it’s easy to forget this was his first year in full-season ball. Witt is a true five-tool player. His powerful swing is geared toward lofting pitches a long way, and he crushed fastballs and sliders alike in his time at Triple-A. He’s a dynamic defender, plays with a unique ferocity and made strides to alleviate some of the swing-and-miss concerns in his game. A plus runner, Witt’s speed and athleticism often surprised both managers and evaluators seeing him for the first time. One rival manager predicted Witt’s stolen base numbers could soon improve once he gains more experience on the basepaths.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Running: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The son of 16-year major league pitcher Bobby Witt, Bobby Jr. has been around the game his entire life. He blossomed into a regular at premier national showcases while at Colleyville (Texas) Heritage High and shined on the national stage when he won the high school home run derby in Washington prior to the 2018 All-Star Game. He won the High School Player of the Year award in 2019 and was drafted second overall by the Royals. He signed for a franchise-record $7.789 million. Witt made his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League and was slated to head to full-season ball in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic canceled the minor league season. He spent the early days of the pandemic working out with major and minor league players near his Texas home, joined the Royals for summer camp in July, spent the remainder of the season at their alternate training site and finished up at instructional league camp at Kauffman Stadium.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Witt projects as a premier starting shortstop with five impact tools. He struggled a bit in his pro debut and raised concerns about how much he swung and missed, but that's now a distant memory after he began getting more aggressive in his approach. He showed signs of turning the corner at 2019 instructional league and took a big jump in 2020 while facing more advanced pitchers. Witt's hit tool is borne through plus bat speed and a short, compact, low-maintenance swing. The swing-and-miss concerns disappeared with his improved approach, and he vastly improved hitting with two strikes. He now projects to be at least an average hitter, and possibly plus. Witt's plus power has never been in question, and there is now increased confidence he will make enough contact to get to it regularly. Already a plus runner with solid instincts on the bases, Witt worked regularly with Royals coaches to become even better instinctually. There is no doubt about him defensively. He projects to be a solid shortstop with elite hands, a good first step and good body control, rounding out the package with a plus, accurate arm. Witt also saw time at third base during the summer and handled the position well.
  
  THE FUTURE: Witt still has to show he can maintain his improved approach and contact skills over a full season, but there is now increased confidence that he will reach his ceiling as an all-star shortstop in the mold of Troy Tulowitzki. Even with the missed season, he made enough progress that a Double-A assignment seems likely at some point in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Running: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The son of 16-year major league pitcher Bobby Witt, Bobby Jr. has been around the game his entire life. He blossomed into a regular at premier national showcases while at Colleyville (Texas) Heritage High and shined on the national stage when he won the high school home run derby in Washington prior to the 2018 All-Star Game. He won the High School Player of the Year award in 2019 and was drafted second overall by the Royals. He signed for a franchise-record $7.789 million. Witt made his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League and was slated to head to full-season ball in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic canceled the minor league season. He spent the early days of the pandemic working out with major and minor league players near his Texas home, joined the Royals for summer camp in July, spent the remainder of the season at their alternate training site and finished up at instructional league camp at Kauffman Stadium.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Witt projects as a premier starting shortstop with five impact tools. He struggled a bit in his pro debut and raised concerns about how much he swung and missed, but that’s now a distant memory after he began getting more aggressive in his approach. He showed signs of turning the corner at 2019 instructional league and took a big jump in 2020 while facing more advanced pitchers. Witt’s hit tool is borne through plus bat speed and a short, compact, low-maintenance swing. The swing-and-miss concerns disappeared with his improved approach, and he vastly improved hitting with two strikes. He now projects to be at least an average hitter, and possibly plus. Witt’s plus power has never been in question, and there is now increased confidence he will make enough contact to get to it regularly. Already a plus runner with solid instincts on the bases, Witt worked regularly with Royals coaches to become even better instinctually. There is no doubt about him defensively. He projects to be a solid shortstop with elite hands, a good first step and good body control, rounding out the package with a plus, accurate arm. Witt also saw time at third base during the summer and handled the position well.
  
  THE FUTURE: Witt still has to show he can maintain his improved approach and contact skills over a full season, but there is now increased confidence that he will reach his ceiling as an all-star shortstop in the mold of Troy Tulowitzki. Even with the missed season, he made enough progress that a Double-A assignment seems likely at some point in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Running: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The son of 16-year major league pitcher Bobby Witt, Bobby Jr. has been around the game his entire life. He blossomed into a regular at premier national showcases while at Colleyville (Texas) Heritage High and shined on the national stage when he won the high school home run derby in Washington prior to the 2018 All-Star Game. He won the High School Player of the Year award in 2019 and was drafted second overall by the Royals. He signed for a franchise-record $7.789 million. Witt made his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League and was slated to head to full-season ball in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic canceled the minor league season. He spent the early days of the pandemic working out with major and minor league players near his Texas home, joined the Royals for summer camp in July, spent the remainder of the season at their alternate training site and finished up at instructional league camp at Kauffman Stadium.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Witt projects as a premier starting shortstop with five impact tools. He struggled a bit in his pro debut and raised concerns about how much he swung and missed, but that’s now a distant memory after he began getting more aggressive in his approach. He showed signs of turning the corner at 2019 instructional league and took a big jump in 2020 while facing more advanced pitchers. Witt’s hit tool is borne through plus bat speed and a short, compact, low-maintenance swing. The swing-and-miss concerns disappeared with his improved approach, and he vastly improved hitting with two strikes. He now projects to be at least an average hitter, and possibly plus. Witt’s plus power has never been in question, and there is now increased confidence he will make enough contact to get to it regularly. Already a plus runner with solid instincts on the bases, Witt worked regularly with Royals coaches to become even better instinctually. There is no doubt about him defensively. He projects to be a solid shortstop with elite hands, a good first step and good body control, rounding out the package with a plus, accurate arm. Witt also saw time at third base during the summer and handled the position well.
  
  THE FUTURE: Witt still has to show he can maintain his improved approach and contact skills over a full season, but there is now increased confidence that he will reach his ceiling as an all-star shortstop in the mold of Troy Tulowitzki. Even with the missed season, he made enough progress that a Double-A assignment seems likely at some point in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Witt Jr. topped his father by one draft slot when the Royals picked him second overall in 2019. 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’s 18U 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.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: 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, however. 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. In addition to being a potential force as a hitter, Witt is a smart baserunner with above-average speed that ticks up to plus underway. His combination of power and speed gives him 20-home run, 20-stolen base potential, with a chance to possibly reach 30-30 in his best years. Defensively, Witt projects to be a top-tier shortstop with elite hands, a quick first step and good body control. He tends to get crossed up on balls in the hole and needs to improve his footwork, but that should come with time. Witt rounds out his supremely athletic package with a plus, accurate arm. While Witt’s physical tools are considerable, his outstanding makeup and instincts stand out even more. Spending his first summer of pro ball in the AZL, he quickly bonded with teammates and demonstrated an enthusiasm and positivity readily evident to observers.
  
  THE FUTURE: Witt is a five-tool talent with the potential to become a franchise player, though not everyone is convinced he will hit for a high average. After the Royals were conservative with him during his first pro season, the gloves will be off in 2020 with a likely assignment to low Class A Lexington and early success could result in a move to high Class A Wilmington by midsummer. SCOUTING GRADES Hit: 55. Power: 60. Run: 60. Field: 70. Arm: 60. BA GRADE 65 Risk: Very High
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Witt Jr. topped his father by one draft slot when the Royals picked him second overall in 2019. 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's 18U 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.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: 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, however. 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. In addition to being a potential force as a hitter, Witt is a smart baserunner with above-average speed that ticks up to plus underway. His combination of power and speed gives him 20-home run, 20-stolen base potential, with a chance to possibly reach 30-30 in his best years. Defensively, Witt projects to be a top-tier shortstop with elite hands, a quick first step and good body control. He tends to get crossed up on balls in the hole and needs to improve his footwork, but that should come with time. Witt rounds out his supremely athletic package with a plus, accurate arm. While Witt's physical tools are considerable, his outstanding makeup and instincts stand out even more. Spending his first summer of pro ball in the AZL, he quickly bonded with teammates and demonstrated an enthusiasm and positivity readily evident to observers.
  
  THE FUTURE: Witt is a five-tool talent with the potential to become a franchise player, though not everyone is convinced he will hit for a high average. After the Royals were conservative with him during his first pro season, the gloves will be off in 2020 with a likely assignment to low Class A Lexington and early success could result in a move to high Class A Wilmington by midsummer.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Witt Jr. has been famous for years, and not just because he's the son of Bobby Witt, the No. 3 overall pick in the 1985 draft and a 16-year major league righthander. The younger Witt may equal or better where his father was picked, which would make them the highest-drafted father-son pairing ever. Witt has been expected near the top the 2019 draft class for years thanks to his size, speed and power. Last summer, he showed excellent power potential but also raised questions about his hit tool as he showed more swing-and-miss than evaluators would have liked. This spring, admittedly against lesser competition, Witt has shown a better approach and more bat-to-ball skills. He's using the entire field more and staying more balanced at the plate, where in the past he showed a tendency to get a little pull happy and collapse his backside during his swing. Witt shows a solid awareness of the strike zone--when he got into trouble last summer it was because he was swinging and missing at pitches in the zone rather than expanding it. He has plus power that projects for 20-plus home runs at the big league level and potentially even more in the current overheated major league power environment. At shortstop, Witt is the top defender in the class and a future plus defender with elite hands, quick feet and a plus arm. He shows the ability to throw from multiple arm slots and make plays going to both his right and left with excellent throwing accuracy. He's a plus runner who can impact the game on the bases. Scouts have long raved about his makeup and several said that his work ethic and drive will help him get the most out of his considerable tools. Witt will turn 19 years old right after the draft, so he is older for the class. He is seen as both a high-floor player as well as someone with one of the highest ceilings in the class because of his well-rounded toolset and strong odds of sticking at shortstop. If he is even a .230 or .240 hitter, he should have a lengthy big league career because of his defensive ability at shortstop, speed and power. If he proves to be an average or better hitter, he could become a franchise-caliber player.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  The 2019 High School Player of the Year, Witt signed for $7,787,400 after being selected with the No. 2 overall pick. The original plan was for Witt to get his feet wet with just a handful of games in the Arizona League before moving to another level, but the Royals opted to have him play his entire debut year in the AZL after he struggled in July. Witt improved his numbers as the season progressed. He hit .280/.329/.400 in August and showed a good feel to hit, plus bat speed and a short, compact stroke. He’s an above-average runner out of the box and plus underway, with good instincts on the bases. Witt projects to be able to stay at shortstop, with decent hands and a good first step, though he needs to improve his footwork because he tends to get crossed on balls in the hole. Witt’s off-the-charts makeup and how well he bonded with his teammates was what stood out most to those around him. "He’s always willing to work,” Royals manager Tony Pena Jr. said. "You see him hustling on and off the field . . . just how he handles his business. He comes to work every day and shows a lot of maturity for a kid his age.”