Bobby Witt Jr. won’t start Royals season in majors. Dayton Moore explains the reason
The Kansas City Royals put the speculation and suspense to an end on Monday morning. Top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. will begin the season in the minors.
Witt got a long look as a second baseman this spring, a position he hadn’t played in his brief experience in the minors. Without a 2020 minor-league season, Witt has played in just 37 professional games.
“I just didn’t think it was fair to him to try to break him into the Major Leagues at a position he’s only been working at on a continuous basis for two weeks or so,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said Monday on KCSP (610 AM).
“It was probably one of the more challenging decisions that we’ve had to make here. At the same time, it’s not that challenging.”
Witt, a shortstop and No. 2 overall pick in 2019 after having been the national high school player of the year, joined top pitching prospect and left-hander Daniel Lynch, a fellow Top 100 prospect in right-handed pitcher Jackson Kowar, and highly regarded outfielder Kyle Isbel as players reassigned to minor-league camp.
“Every one of those guys checked boxes and have given us confidence that they’re getting close,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “Now, the task is to get ready. You’ve shown us some things that allow us to keep you to this point in camp for a reason.”
Witt, 20, impressed in his first full major-league camp and had seemingly started to build momentum towards making the Opening Day roster.
Baseball America’s No. 16 overall prospect, Witt garnered praise from established Royals major leaguers such as Hunter Dozier and Whit Merrifield as well as manager Mike Matheny.
Witt, who is not currently on the 40-man roster and was a non-roster invitee to camp, appeared in three exhibition games last summer following his participation in spring training 2.0/summer camp. He then spent the summer at the alternate training site in Kansas City, Kansas.
This spring during Cactus League play, Witt slashed .289/.325/.526 with three home runs, seven RBIs, 10 runs scored, two walks and 10 strikeouts in 38 at-bats.
Matheny said repetitions and continued exposure to different positions would be part of Witt’s continued development. Witt could see some time in the outfield in the minors.
“It goes back to opportunity,” Matheny said. “The more opportunities there are the better likelihood of the player getting to join us. Not ruling anything out.”