Bobby Witt Jr. (2023 Kansas City Royals) [eBaseball Powerful Pro Baseball 2024 Power Number]

Robert Andrew Witt Jr.

Blue Lightning

Click here for last season's ratings

A lightning bolt that suddenly appeared in Kansas City. After being selected by the Royals in the first round (2nd overall) of the 2019 draft, he made his major league debut as early as 2022.
With top-tier major league speed, he recorded 30 stolen bases, and with 20 home runs, he put up high-level numbers that earned him a 4th place finish in the Rookie of the Year voting. One might wonder why he didn't win Rookie of the Year with these stats, but considering that the AL Rookie of the Year that year was Julio Rodriguez, it's clear how high-level the competition was.
On the other hand, there was considerable anxiety regarding his defense; with 16 errors at shortstop and a .959 fielding percentage, the numbers were quite harsh, leading to discussions about a potential future position change. Although he was selected for the US national team for the WBC, he was mainly used as a pinch runner and only had three plate appearances, but he did appear as a pinch runner in the 9th inning against Japan.
In 2023, Witt Jr., now focused solely on shortstop, showed even higher-level performance. He produced more extra-base hits than the previous year, clearing 30 home runs, and his contribution in terms of baserunning was tremendous. His Sprint Speed was tied with Elly De La Cruz for the best in MLB, and the runs he created through baserunning ranked 2nd in all of MLB (1st was Gunnar Henderson). Of course, his stolen base count was also incredibly high, as he ran wild with 49 steals. At the tender age of 23, he achieved a 30-40 season; it can truly be called a year of lightning-fast performance.
Regarding his defensive issues, while the high number of errors (12) was a concern, he succeeded in improving overall, with his OAA going from -9 to 14 and his DRS from -18 to -6. By 2024, he has reached the point of accumulating positive defensive value, becoming a flawless 5-tool player.

2023 Stats: .276, 30 HR, 96 RBI, 49 SB

About the ratings

With great speed, a strong arm, and power, he was truly the ultimate prospect, but it is amazing that he established himself as one of the best shortstops in the majors in just a few years.

Baserunning A

A player who not only steals bases but also creates significant value through baserunning other than stolen bases.

Stealing B

He had 49 stolen bases, but was caught stealing 15 times.

Defensive Specialist, Error

To replicate the fact that he has a wide defensive range but makes many errors, this is the only way to do it.

A word

He appeared as a pinch runner in the WBC, but he is a player far too valuable to be used just as a pinch runner. You can feel the presence of a true first-round draft pick.