KC Royals: Biggest remaining question is whether or not to promote Bobby Witt Jr.
Every MLB team has at least one big question as they inch closer to the regular season. For the KC Royals, that question surrounds Bobby Witt Jr.
The biggest storyline for the Kansas City Royals throughout spring training has been top prospect Bobby Witt Jr., who has stolen the show this spring. As of this writing, Witt is slashing .289/.325/.526 with three home runs and seven RBI through 38 at-bats. He’s been sensational and with the Royals still keeping him in spring training rather than shipping him to the minors, clearly, he’s made a big enough impression and could compete for a roster spot.
The decision on whether or not to promote Witt is the Royals’ biggest remaining decision, according to MLB.com.
"Bobby Witt Jr., the club’s top prospect and the No. 7-ranked prospect overall, is making this decision harder every day he plays this spring. Witt has impressed in all facets of the game, including his power, speed, defense and high baseball IQ. Realistically, the Royals will have Witt — who has not played a Minor League season above Rookie ball — start the season in Double-A or Triple-A, allowing him to hit his way to the Majors at some point in 2021 — but if Witt continues to shine, especially deeper into spring, he might make some decisions hard for Royals brass."
Will Bobby Witt Jr. be on the KC Royals’ Opening Day roster?
Most people would look at this situation and think that starting Witt in the minor leagues is the right decision. He’s only 20 years old and the Royals probably aren’t going to compete for a postseason berth this year.
On the other hand, Witt’s been phenomenal in limited spring training appearances and he’s been the talk of the town. There hasn’t been this much hype surrounding a Royals prospect since Eric Hosmer, who was the team’s top pick in 2008. Hosmer debuted in 2011 and the day he was called up was a huge one in Kansas City.
In all honesty, Witt probably should go to the minors. He didn’t have a true season last year due to the pandemic so getting him a chance to do so to start the year makes sense. There will be plenty of time for Witt to make his mark for the big league squad and the Royals shouldn’t rush the kid to the majors. That kind of decision could destroy his confidence early on, which would be the last thing this team would want.
Must Read. Every Top Five Draft Pick in Royals History. light
The fact that Witt is still hanging around spring training and hasn’t been optioned yet is telling as to how much the Royals believe in him and think he could be an impact player as early as this year. The right thing to do is to send him to the minors, but if he continues to tear it up in Arizona, making that decision could be really difficult.