Royals, Witt agree to reported 11-year, $288.7M extension
Bobby Witt Jr. is staying in Kansas City for the long haul.
The Royals and Witt agreed to an 11-year, $288.7-million contract extension, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.
"From the moment I was drafted in 2019, the entire Royals organization and fans have treated me and my family like their own," Witt said in a statement, per MLB.com's Anne Rogers. "This city and this team have felt like home since Day 1, and it's an honor to have the opportunity to continue to represent all of KC."
🤝 @Royals pic.twitter.com/eDFEbWMrfx
— Bobby Witt Jr (@BwittJr) February 5, 2024
The deal comes with an added three-year team option, according to Rogers.
Terms on Witt's extension, per source: $288.7 million over 11 years guaranteed, with a three-year team option that could make it worth $377.7 million over 14 total years.
— Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) February 5, 2024
There are four player opt-outs after years 7, 8, 9 and 10. Witt also receives a $7.7 million signing bonus.
"From the day we drafted him, we felt confident Bobby would become one of our game's brightest stars and biggest talents," Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said, according to The Associated Press. "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."
The contract is the largest in Royals franchise history, surpassing Salvador Pérez's four-year, $82-million extension signed in 2021.
| Player | Contract | Year signed |
|---|---|---|
| Bobby Witt Jr. | $288.7M | 2024 |
| Salvador Pérez | $82M | 2021 |
| Alex Gordon | $72M | 2016 |
| Ian Kennedy | $70M | 2016 |
| Gil Meche | $55M | 2006 |
The $288 million guaranteed is the second-largest ever for a pre-arbitration player, behind only San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr.'s $340 million, according to Passan.
Witt has quickly developed into one of baseball's bright young stars over his first two MLB seasons. The 23-year-old put together a breakout sophomore campaign in 2023, slashing .276/.319/.495 with 30 home runs, 97 runs scored, 96 RBIs, and 49 stolen bases across 158 games.
Witt trailed only the Texas Rangers' Corey Seager (6.1) and the New York Mets' Francisco Lindor (6.0) with 5.7 fWAR among all MLB shortstops last season.