Watch KC Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. crush his first home run of 2025 spring training
Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. circled the bases on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix.
The long wait was finally over.
Witt hit his first Cactus League home run off Brewers left-handed pitcher Tyler Jay. In the fourth inning, Witt crushed a center-cut fastball over the outfield wall. It was his second hit of the spring.
“Just trying to put up good at-bats and get ready for the season by taking things day-by-day,” Witt said postgame. “Really, I’m just trying to get better each and every day.”
Witt looks to replicate his stellar 2024 campaign. He finished second behind New York Yankees star Aaron Judge in the AL MVP race. Last season, Witt hit .332 with 32 home runs, 109 RBIs and 31 stolen bases.
It was his second consecutive 30-30 season with the Royals. Witt also led Major League Baseball in batting average and hits (211) en route to his first All-Star appearance.
Witt could produce more efficient numbers in 2025. The Royals acquired leadoff hitter Jonathan India from the Cincinnati Reds. India is expected to be a table-setter in front of Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez.
India has already left an imprint. Witt called India a professional hitter and has learned a lot hitting behind him this spring.
“It’s a special team,” Witt said. “Everyone from the India addition was amazing. The at-bats he is putting together and the gamer that he is — (alongside) everyone else with the at-bats they are putting up — is great.
“We are having a lot of fun out there. It’s going to be a lot of fun and this team is going to be a blast.”
This story was originally published February 27, 2025 at 7:07 PM.
