Why the KC Royals are starting to get rookie Bobby Witt Jr. more time at shortstop
It made plenty of sense for the Kansas City Royals to try to ease young phenom Bobby Witt Jr. into the majors, to the extent that’s even possible for a highly touted and much-discussed top prospect in modern times.
Both manager Mike Matheny and general manager J.J. Picollo were clear in spring training. As the 21-year-old Witt made the transition to the majors, after just one full season in the minors, they wanted him to focus on one position.
Well, in the aftermath of Adalberto Mondesi’s season-ending knee injury and amid the club’s continued tinkering to ignite one of the league’s lowest-scoring offenses, the Royals have shifted course. They’ve shown a willingness to move their talented rookie between shortstop and third base as needed in an effort to get the most out of their lineup.
“With so many left-handed shifts, the reality was he was playing shortstop so much already even as a third baseman,” Matheny said. “There are a couple times when you’re having your offense trying to figure out how to get it going, you’ve got to do things.
“We got the blessing from the organization. We may need him from time to time, especially when we bring up a third baseman like Emmanuel (Rivera) and we want to get him into the lineup against a left-handed starter.”
Third base was the everyday opening that fit perfectly and allowed for an embarrassment of defensive riches on the infield, with Nicky Lopez, Mondesi and Witt seemingly engulfing everything that hit the dirt with a collective range unseen by Royals fans in a long time.
The stated plan was that when Mondesi needed a day off, Lopez would likely take over at shortstop. That way Witt could just focus on settling into the big leagues and getting acclimated to his somewhat new position — he played third base 18 times (17 starts) last season in the minors.
“I think he’s been fantastic defensively,” Matheny said of Witt. “We didn’t have much of a book. We went off of what our scouts and our development system has seen, which we have a lot of faith in, but we hadn’t seen first-hand. You watch him and every time you see it, I mean this kid can play. Wherever you put him, he’s played really, really good defense and done some really impressive things.”
Witt comfortable being versatile
Witt, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, started his fifth game at shortstop on Sunday as the Royals wrapped up their three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
He’d played shortstop in the minors. Coming out of high school, he drew some comparisons as a draft prospect to former superstar shortstop Alex Rodriguez.
All five of Witt’s starts at shortstop have come during the nine-game road trip that included series in Baltimore (one game), Witt’s home state of Texas (two games) and Denver (two games).
“It’s been a lot of fun just getting back over there,” Witt said. “Just kind of doing whatever the team needs. We really have three shortstops on the team, so anyone could play there. Watching Nicky play there and how good he’s done. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Witt said being in the lineup at any position in the big leagues is special, and that he sees his job as being prepared to play wherever he’s needed. But as someone who grew up playing shortstop, it’s something of a comfort zone.
He’d embraced the transition to third base, and he wasted no time making an impact at that spot. He had a game-changing play in the second game of the season with a sliding stop and throw to the catcher Salvador Perez to cut down a runner at the plate late in the 10th inning of a 1-0 extra-inning win.
“I think it’s all just getting comfortable,” Witt said. “I think that’s what we’re all doing out there, just being comfortable at different positions, being able to contribute in as many ways as possible. I think that’s kind of what our team is built around, versatility.”
Witt entered Sunday’s game with a slash line of .212/.238/.347 in his first 30 games in the majors. He’d driven in six RBIs in his previous four games, and he hit his second career home run on Saturday night.
Of his 25 hits, 10 have been extra-base hits. He had a 12-game stretch from April 21-May 4 when he went 14 for 44 (.318) with three doubles, a home run, four RBIs and two walks.
However, he’d gone 6 for 35 (.171) during the first eight games of their road trip.
“I’m just trying to learn each and every day,” Witt said. “I think the only way you really learn is to fail. “Obviously, I don’t want to fail, but I also think you learn so much from that. I’m just trying to take in as much as I can and try to get better each and every day and learn from the guys in this clubhouse that have done it for a lot longer than I have.”
