Kansas City Royals: What’s on their 2022 post-lockout to-do list
By Eric Treuden
The Kansas City Royals should take a look at Bobby Witt Jr.
Ranked the #1 Royals prospect and #3 in all of baseball per MLB.com’s ranking, 21-year old Bobby Witt Jr. showed in 2021 that he is the real deal.
In Witt’s first full professional season, the young slugger hit 33 home runs, drove in 97, stole 29 bases while putting up a .361 on-base percentage and slugging .575, both well above average marks. On the defensive side, Witt also added third base to his repertoire.
Primarily a shortstop, Witt began getting reps at the hot corner to add to his positional versatility. With Adalberto Mondesi and Nicky Lopez both available on the major league roster at short, it makes sense that the Royals would want to give Bobby Witt a shot at another position. In just about 140 innings at third in 2021, Witt committed zero errors, certainly an encouraging sign albeit a small sample size.
As the Royals’ depth chart currently stands, Bobby Witt Jr. could be one of the first players Kansas City looks at to man third base. With the previously mentioned Mondesi and Lopez pairing with Whit Merrifield to play shortstop and second base respectively, third base appears to be wide open should a certain #1 prospect of theirs jump at the chance to earn the starting role.