Royals select prep star Bobby Witt Jr. No. 2 overall
With the second pick in the 2019 MLB amateur draft, the Kansas City Royals selected Bobby Witt Jr., a high school shortstop out of Texas.
The 18-year-old is the son of Bobby Witt, who spent 16 years in the majors as a pitcher, predominantly playing for the Texas Rangers.
Bobby Witt Sr. (1985) and Bobby Witt Jr. become the 1st father-son duo to be selected within the top 3 picks of the #MLBDraft. pic.twitter.com/nR5XSdMXn6
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) June 3, 2019
Witt Jr. is an Oklahoma commit with five-tool potential. He's known best for his fielding and running, while some scouts are concerned about his inability to make consistent contact.
Less than one week before the draft, Witt was named the Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year, the most prestigious award for high schoolers. Previous winners include Alex Rodriguez and Clayton Kershaw.
Highly hyped, Witt Jr. is expected to be an extremely important piece for the Royals going forward. He's even earning comparisons to a fellow franchise player in Kansas City from a different league.
Lets get it ! @BwittJr @Royals https://t.co/TO6UFYORLE
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) June 3, 2019
Bio
Age: 18
Position: SS
Height/Weight: 6-feet, 180 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
School: Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville, Texas)
NCAA commit: Oklahoma
Pick value (No. 2): $7,789,900
MLB.com money quote: "His raw power and speed are both plus tools, which, combined with his baserunning instincts, could make him a 20-20 player."
2019 stats (as of May 29)
| GP | AVG | OPS | HR | BB/K | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | .500 | 1.670 | 15 | 24/11 | 17 |
Take a look ...
(Video courtesy: MLB.com)