The Kansas City Royals have gotten off to a rough start in the 2026 season. They currently hold a 19-25 record and are tied for fourth place in the American League Central.
The slow start has been the result of a combination of inconsistent offense, a struggling bullpen and injuries throughout the rotation. But despite the team’s overall struggles, one player on the Royals roster is still performing at an elite level.
Superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has been playing at an elite level both at the plate and in the field. The 25-year-old leads Kansas City in several offensive categories and has been one of the most productive players in all of MLB to begin the season.
Bobby Witt Jr. is playing at an MVP-caliber level this season
Witt is a true five-tool player, and his combination of contact, power and speed makes him dangerous at the plate. Through 173 at-bats this season, he has posted a .306/.381/.503 slash line.
He leads the Royals in batting average (.306), home runs (seven), RBIs (22), on-base percentage (.381) and hits (53).
His underlying metrics are just as impressive. He owns a batting run value of nine, which ranks in the 90th percentile, according to Statcast.
The All-Star has been hitting the ball extremely hard throughout the season. He owns a 93.2 mph average exit velocity along with a 52.1% hard-hit rate. Another metric that stands out is his expected batting average, which currently sits at .311 and ranks in the 98th percentile.
Ever since Witt entered the league, his speed has consistently been on display. His 30.4 sprint speed ranks in the 100th percentile. That speed was highlighted during his recent inside-the-park home run, when he rounded the bases in a blazing 14.13 seconds.
He currently leads the league with 11 outs above average and owns a fielding run value of eight, which also ranks in the 100th percentile.
And if you watched the defensive display he put on during this year’s World Baseball Classic, those numbers should come as no surprise.
To top off his already dominant season, he not only leads the league in WAR, but he also became the first player this season to reach a WAR of 3.0, according to FanGraphs.
Witt has been the brightest spot for Kansas City so far as the Royals look to get back in the win column and climb the Central standings.
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