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Bobby Witt Jr. 2024 Player Outlook: Second Year Star With Top Pick Potential
12 months agoIf you miss out on the number one pick in your drafts, Bobby Witt Jr. is a fantastic consolation prize. The Royals shortstop cast aside any 'sophomore slump' concerns by hitting .276/.319/.495 with 30 homers, 96 RBI, 97 runs and 49 steals in 158 games. Given the Royals 676 runs scored in 2023 were eighth fewest, Witt Jr. nearly reaching triple-digits for RBI and runs was a testament to his offensive talent. The Royals offense does look better heading into 2024 so there's no reason to believe Witt Jr. can't match or better those numbers in 2024. His expected numbers also suggest there's more to come from Witt Jr. with a .294 xBA, .533 xSLG and .369 xwOBA (.343 wOBA). They all ranked in the 90th percentile or better. He also dropped his strikeout rate from 21.4% in 2022 to 17.4% while raising his walk rate from 4.7% to 5.8%. That suggests he's more accustomed to Major League pitching and further reason why it's fair to believe he can improve again in 2024. You could do a lot worse with a top-three pick in your drafts than taking Witt Jr.
