*Photo from MLB Trade Rumors*
The new face of the franchise is sticking around for a long time. The Kansas City Royals and SS Bobby Witt Jr have agreed to a 11 year, $288.7 million contract, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. The Royals have confirmed the news.
Witt Jr said in a statement that "From the moment I was drafted in 2019, the entire Royals organization and fans have treated me and my family like their own. This city and this team have felt like home since day one, and it’s an honor to have the opportunity to continue to represent all of KC."
In his contract, Witt Jr has 4 opt outs in consecutive years, starting in 2030. If he stays through all 11 years, the Royals have a team option that could push the deal to 14 years and $377 million. He gets a $7.7 million signing bonus. If his deal runs through all 14 years, he'll have the 3rd largest contract in baseball history as of present day. He already has the largest contract in Royals history.
Last season was a stellar one for Witt Jr, his second in the majors. He slashed .276/.319/.495 with a 120 OPS+, hitting 28 doubles, 30 home runs, and a league leading 11 triples, also stealing 49 bases with 96 RBI's in 158 games, finishing in 7th place in voting for AL MVP.
After he became the first player in Royals history to reach 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season, Witt Jr gets the second largest contract in guaranteed money for a pre arbitration player, with only Fernando Tatis Jr's $340 million contract worth more guaranteed money.
Kansas City GM JJ Picollo said of Witt Jr that "From the day we drafted him, we felt confident Bobby would become one of our game's brightest stars and biggest talents. These last two seasons have been confirmation of that talent and proof that he's an even better teammate. We know he wants to win here for our fans as much as we do."
Witt Jr only has two years of major league experience under his belt, debuting in 2022 after being the second overall pick in the 2019 draft. He has a .265/.307/.463 slash line with a 111 OPS+ to his name, mashing 50 home runs, 59 doubles, and 17 triples to go with 79 stolen bases and 176 RBI's in 308 games.
This offseason, the Royals have spent over $100 million in free agency as they try to rebound from a disastrous 2023 that saw them finish 56-106 and in last place in the AL Central.
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