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Honestly, if you aren't paying attention to what's happening in Kansas City, you’re missing one of the most absurd statistical heaters in the history of baseball. We talk about "generational talents" so much that the phrase has basically lost all meaning. But then you look at bobby witt career stats and realize the numbers are actually backing up the noise.
He didn't just arrive; he exploded. Since his debut in 2022, Witt has been a human cheat code for the Royals. By the end of the 2025 season, he’d already secured 105 career home runs and 148 stolen bases. Think about that for a second. Most guys are still trying to figure out how to hit a big-league slider at 25. Witt is out here joining the 100/100 club in his first four years, a feat only shared by names like Bobby Bonds, Darryl Strawberry, and Julio Rodriguez.
The most wild part? He’s getting better. His rookie year was solid but a little raw—20 homers, 30 steals, but a .254 average that suggested he still had some growing to do. Fast forward to 2024, and he’s winning the MLB batting title with a .332 average while dropping a 32-homer, 31-steal season. You just don't see shortstops do that.
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Breaking Down the bobby witt career stats by Season
It's sorta crazy to see the year-over-year progression. Most players have a sophomore slump or a plateau. Witt just keeps adding tools to his belt.
In 2022, he was the 10th-youngest player in the American League. He finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting. He was fast—tying Trea Turner for the best sprint speed in the league at 30.3 feet per second—but he was also a bit of a liability on defense, posting a -18 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) according to some metrics.
Then came 2023. This was the "Wait, he can do what?" year. He led the majors with 11 triples and became the first player ever to hit 30 home runs, 10 triples, and swipe 45 bags in a single season. The power was real. The speed was elite. The Royals knew they had a cornerstone.
The Historic 2024 Campaign
If 2023 was the breakout, 2024 was the coronation. Witt didn't just play well; he dominated the entire league.
- Hits: 211 (Led MLB)
- Average: .332 (MLB Batting Champion)
- WAR: 9.4 (bWAR) or 10.4 (fWAR)
- XBH: 88 (New Royals franchise record)
His July 2024 was particularly stupid. He hit .489 that month. Nobody had done that with at least 44 hits in a month since Lou Gehrig in 1930. He was basically playing a video game on easy mode. He finished second in the AL MVP voting, only losing out to Aaron Judge's historic season, but he took home his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger to make up for it.
The 2025 Season and the 100-Homer Milestone
People wondered if he could sustain it in 2025. While he didn't repeat the .332 average, he remained an elite force at the plate. He finished the 2025 season with a .295/.351/.501 slash line. More importantly, on August 19, 2025, he crushed a 449-foot bomb against the Rangers for his 100th career home run.
He also led the league in hits again (184) and doubles (47). The consistency is what's terrifying for the rest of the AL Central. He’s the first player in MLB history to record 20+ homers and 30+ steals in each of his first four seasons. Not Trout. Not Mays. Witt.
Defense: From Liability to Platinum Glove
Numbers usually tell you how well someone hits, but Witt’s defensive evolution is a massive part of his career value. In 2022, scouts were worried he might have to move to third base. By 2025, he won the American League Platinum Glove.
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He went from a -18 DRS rookie to a 100th-percentile range defender. He’s currently the best defensive shortstop in the game according to most advanced metrics like Outs Above Average (OAA). That defensive jump is what pushed his WAR into the stratosphere. He isn't just a track star who can hit; he’s a vacuum at the most important position on the infield.
That Massive Contract and Future Value
The Royals didn't mess around. In early 2024, they signed him to an 11-year, $288 million extension. It was a huge gamble for a small-market team, but it looks like a bargain now. The deal could eventually reach $377 million if all options are picked up, keeping him in Kansas City through 2037.
When you look at bobby witt career stats through the lens of age, he’s on a Hall of Fame trajectory. He has 21.7 career WAR before turning 26. For context, that’s better than many legends at the same point in their careers.
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If you're looking to track his progress in real-time, keep an eye on his "Hits per 162 games" average. He currently averages 187 hits a season. If he maintains that pace, he’ll hit the 1,000-hit mark by the middle of the 2027 season, which would be an incredibly fast climb for a modern player. Also, watch his defensive range metrics (OAA) on Statcast; his ability to get to balls in the hole is what separates his value from other high-offense shortstops like Francisco Lindor or Corey Seager.