The Kansas City Royals have ensured that Bobby Witt Jr. will be with the organization for a very long time – potentially his entire career.
The star shortstop and the Royals agreed to a massive deal with 11 years, $288.7 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. There are club options tacked onto the back end of the deal, which ultimately could make it worth 14 years, $377.7 million, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.
It’s a massive move for the Royals, a team that is building an exciting young core and has spent this offseason surrounding them with veterans. Witt Jr. is at the center of it all, a pure hitter with blazing speed and a great glove who in Year 2 finished seventh in American League MVP voting.
“This is absolutely fantastic news for the Royals,” Cody Tapp said Monday on Cody & Gold reacting to the news in real time. “This is a no-brainer deal, I’ll be honest with you. This is a no-brainer, no doubt, have to do it deal if you’re the Kansas City Royals. Because Bobby Witt Jr. is one of the premier players in the sport, and you’re now going to keep him in Kansas City until he’s what, in his mid-to-late 30s, hypothetically, if he sees the full 14 years of this contract. He’s agreed to be a Kansas City Royal for life, essentially.”
It’s been a rough road for the Royals, who have yet to return to the playoffs since their 2015 World Series win. But the pieces have begun to emerge, and ensuring Witt Jr. is around for the long haul was imperative.
J.J. Picollo has accomplished just that.