The Kansas City Royals and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. are in agreement on an 11-year, $288.8 million extension. Jeff Passan of ESPN explained that the extension can go up to 14 years through a three-year option. It would give it a 14-year, $377 million ceiling.
Witt said this regarding his new contract. “I am incredibly grateful to the Sherman family and the Royals front office for believing in me, and I promise to do everything in my power to help bring championship baseball back to Kansas City! Let’s go!!”
The present, the future, and the largest contract in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/LpcUGPpzkj
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) February 5, 2024
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The 23-year-old hit .276/.319/.495 with 30 home runs and 49 stolen bases that saw him win a Gold Glove courtesy of his caliber defense. Witt’s signing comes a week before the Royals report to spring training highlights a productive offseason. Kansas City went out and improved the starting rotation with the additions of Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. Both pitchers should help stabilize a rotation that includes Cole Ragans, who had a breakout in the second half of the season. The return of Vinnie Pasquantino, who missed most of the season following shoulder surgery, will provide Witt power in the lineup.
Six Players with Nine-Figure Deals
A historic contract extension for @BwittJr! ✍️
Congrats to @BwittJr on signing the
LARGEST contract in @Royals history! ??✔️ Third-largest deal of all-time in @MLB history
✔️ First contract with 10+ seasons in Royals history pic.twitter.com/2bwbcCV48H— Octagon (@Octagon) February 5, 2024
Witt joins six other players with two or fewer years of major league experience who had been given nine-figure deals. All of those players have been All-Stars with postseason appearances. Ronald Acuña Jr. (eight years, $100 million), Corbin Carroll (eight years, $111 million), Mike Trout (six years, $144.5 million), Wander Franco (11 years, $182 million), Julio Rodríguez ($ 12 years, $209 million), and Fernando Tatis Jr. (14 years, $340 million).
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The franchise’s new face is the son of Bobby Witt, a former Major League pitcher for 16 years. Witt Jr. was selected a spot higher than his dad as the No.2 pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. His $7.78 million signing was the second-highest Draft bonus since Gerrit Cole‘s $8 million from the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011. Witt hit 33 home runs and 29 stolen bases with a .290/.361/.575 slash line between Double-A and Triple-A.
“At the end of the day, he trusts his talent,” Royals director of hitting performance Alec Zumwalt said. “A lot of players, when they get themselves into trouble, they’re not trusting their talent. They’re trying to do more. What they have, they think is not good enough. That’s where, with Bobby, it’s different.”
2023 was no doubt Witt’s coming out part. He became the first player in franchise history with a 30-30 season. His 49 steals made him the fifth player in league history to have 30-plus home runs and 49 or more stolen bases in a season. He finished with a 4.4 bWAR, a 120 OPS+, 96 RBI, and a seventh-place finish in American League MVP voting.
Photo Credit: © Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
