Bobby Witt Jr. earns Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year honors
PAPILLION, Neb. – Bobby Witt Jr. has been named Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year, the publication announced Monday. Witt Jr. is the third player to earn Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year during a season in which they played for Omaha, joining Tom Gordon (1988)
PAPILLION, Neb. – Bobby Witt Jr. has been named Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year, the publication announced Monday.
Witt Jr. is the third player to earn Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year during a season in which they played for Omaha, joining Tom Gordon (1988) and Wil Myers (2012). He is the fourth player in the Kansas City Royals organization to win the award, joining Tom Gordon, Alex Gordon (2006), and Myers (2012).
“It’s been a thrill for everyone in the Omaha metro to watch Bobby play at Werner Park this season and we couldn’t be prouder of his accomplishments,” Storm Chasers Vice President and General Manager Laurie Schlender said. “He earned our Fan Favorite award this season for many reasons, not just his play, but also the way he carries himself off the field and the way he takes the time to interact with fans. We’re so excited to see what the future holds for Bobby.”
The honor, first awarded in 1981, celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2021. Past honorees include two eventual Hall of Famers—Frank Thomas (1990) and Derek Jeter (1994)—and 24 future Major League Baseball All-Stars.
“On behalf of our entire organization I want to congratulate Bobby on such a terrific first full season as a professional,” JJ Picollo, Royals Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations/General Manager, said. “He came into 2021 carrying high expectations and he didn’t disappoint in any phase of his game. From his hitting, including hitting with power, to his baserunning and his defensive skill set, Bobby had just a tremendous year and is very deserving of this honor. We are very proud of his accomplishments this year and look forward to many years of outstanding play by him.”
Witt Jr. finished the season batting .290/.361/.575 with 99 runs scored, 144 hits, 35 doubles, 33 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases in 123 games between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha. He led Minor League Baseball in extra-base hits (72) while finishing second in runs scored (99), fourth in home runs (33) and RBIs (97), fifth in hits (144), and tied for sixth in doubles (35).
The consensus No. 3 prospect in baseball and top prospect in the Royals’ organization, Witt Jr. ended the year one stolen base shy of recording the third season with 30+ home runs, 30+ stolen bases, and 30+ doubles since 1990 and the ninth 30+ homer and 30+ steal season since 2000. Witt Jr. recorded his 30th stolen base on Thursday prior to the game being canceled before becoming official.
Witt Jr. made his Triple-A debut with the Storm Chasers on July 20 following 61 games with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. At the time of his promotion to Triple-A, Witt Jr. led Double-A Central in total bases (139) and RBIs (51) while also tying for the division lead in hits (72) and ranking second in the division in home runs (16). From the time of his Triple-A debut on July 20 to the end of the season, Witt Jr. led Triple-A East in runs scored (55), doubles (24), and extra-base hits (41), while tying for fourth in homers (17) and ranking sixth in slugging percentage (.581).
The 21-year-old went 2-for-6 in his Triple-A debut on July 20 vs. St. Paul, singling up the middle in his first Triple-A at-bat. He recorded his first Triple-A home run in the following game, a go-ahead, inside-the-park home run. After beginning his Triple-A career with four straight multi-hit games, Witt Jr. notched his first over-the-fence home run on July 25 vs. St. Paul.
He earned Triple-A East Player of the Week honors for Aug. 2-8 en route to earning Triple-A East Player of the Month honors for August. From Aug. 2-8, in a six-game span against the Columbus Clippers at Huntington Park, Witt Jr. went 8-for-27 (.296) with two doubles, four home runs, 11 RBIs, eight runs scored, and one stolen base. He started the week with a three-run homer in the 11th inning of the Omaha's 11-inning, 11-7 win on Aug. 3, went 3-for-5 with a solo homer on Wednesday, Aug. 4, hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning on Friday, Aug. 6, and tied a career-high with five RBIs in Omaha's 13-10 win on Saturday, Aug. 7, a game that included his first career grand slam.
Over the following two weeks, Witt Jr. hit safely in nine of his next 11 games during the Storm Chasers' 12-game homestand from Aug. 10-22. On Aug. 14, he stole his 20th base of the season to become the first Kansas City Royals minor leaguer to record 20+ home runs and 20+ stolen bases in a single season since Alex Gordon in 2006 with the Double-A Wichita Wranglers. Overall, Witt Jr. hit .279/.342/.635 in 26 games in August, leading the league in runs scored (25), RBIs (29), doubles (10), and total bases (66) while ranking second in the league with nine home runs.
Witt Jr. continued his stellar season in September, batting .292/.385/.573 with 10 doubles, five home runs, 11 RBIs, 19 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. He homered in three straight games in the top of the first inning from Sept. 8-10 at CHS Field in St. Paul, Minn., a stretch that included an inside-the-park home run on Sept. 8 and his 30th home run of the season on Sept. 9. He doubled for the final time on Sept. 23 vs. IND to record 10 doubles for the second consecutive month and 35 for the season.
In 63 games with Omaha, Witt Jr. led the team in doubles (24), finished third on the team in runs scored (55) and stolen bases (15), fourth in home runs (17), and sixth in RBIs (46).
Ticket packages for the 2022 season, as well as Chasers Blue Books and undated voucher packs, are available for purchase through the Werner Park Ticket Office. For more information, visit omahastormchasers.com or call the Werner Park Ticket Office at (402) 738-5100 and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring
'Hungry' Alcántara hoping to pounce on big league prey in '25
MESA, Ariz. -- The thing about jaguars is, you don’t want to see one when it’s hungry. So when Cubs legend Sammy Sosa spoke to the organization’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline -- and the No. 89 prospect overall -- the former slugger gave him some apt advice. “His
Rainiers broadcaster Pay talks historic role on MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Prospect Santos 'electric' in Spring Breakout start
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Malcolm Moore knew Winston Santos was locked in before he even threw a pitch. In the second annual Spring Breakout game, Santos -- the Rangers’ No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline -- was throwing to Moore, the Rangers’ No. 4 prospect and highest-ranked catcher. The battery more
Switch-pitcher Cijntje deals from both sides in Spring Breakout
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Jurrangelo Cijntje knew who’d be waiting for him in the batter’s box when he emerged from the visiting bullpen on Friday evening. The Mariners’ switch-pitcher had seen Guardians infielder Travis Bazzana recently at a card-signing event, to which they each joked, “I’m going to see you soon,”
Fans in this Minor League town are hungry for ... the Spicy Meatballs?!?
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Chandler adds mix to upper-90s heat in stellar Spring Breakout start
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- In the inaugural Spring Breakout game a year ago, as he was coming out to pitch the ninth inning, Bubba Chandler slammed a Red Bull and declared “let’s do this” before pumping upper-90s heat.