The Kansas City Royals recently agreed to a contract extension with Bobby Witt Jr. that will keep the superstar shortstop in Kansas City for the next decade and possibly longer. This deal is worth a minimum of more than $288 million, with a potential value of $377 million if the club option years are exercised. Witt Jr. has a full no-trade clause and player option included in this deal as well.
Let's take a closer look at who Witt Jr. is and how each side fared in negotiating this massive contract extension.
Who is Bobby Witt Jr.?
Bobby Witt Jr. was the second overall pick in the 2019 MLB draft. In 2022, he demonstrated solid potential along with room for improvement. Witt Jr. made Kansas City's Opening Day roster, and he ended up playing in 150 games. At a glance, his wRC+ of 98 was slightly below average, with 100 being league average. His batting average and on-base percentage were lower than what one would expect from a top prospect, but he did manage to hit 20 home runs as a rookie. Witt Jr. also demonstrated his highly touted speed in his rookie year, swiping 30 bags.
Witt Jr. enjoyed a breakout season in 2023, decreasing his strikeout rate and increasing his walk rate. He hit 30 roundtrippers and stole 49 bases. According to wRC+, he was 15% better than the league average in year two.
Witt Jr. secured generational wealth for his family
From Witt Jr.’s perspective, it is important not to overthink the impact this deal will have on himself and his family for generations. $288 million is a lot of money, and that's putting it lightly. With this extension, he has secured generational wealth for his family for many decades to come. That in and of itself makes this deal a win from Witt Jr.’s perspective.
He has only played two full seasons in the big leagues and is still in his pre-arbitration years. In exchange for not maximizing his future earning potential, this deal buys out any uncertainty with regard to injuries or underperformance.
That isn't to say there isn't incentive for Witt Jr. to exceed expectations, though. The three years of club options at the end of the deal could increase the deal's value by nearly $90 million, increasing the potential total value of this extension to an estimated $377 million.
At that point, Witt Jr. would likely be able to secure a two or three-year deal if he was still performing well. This extension also features several years of player options, which will allow him to hit the open market or renegotiate his deal with the Royals if he makes another leap into true superstardom.
With this deal, Bobby Witt Jr. secured generational wealth for his family without capping his earnings potential, and for that he deserves an A.
Grade for Bobby Witt Jr.: A
Kansas City secured their homegrown superstar for the next decade
The Royals secured their franchise cornerstone and this deal will keep him in town for the next decade. This is hugely important for a team that has a history of losing their talented young players to bigger market teams.
At the end of the day, the Royals probably gave up slightly more in terms of guaranteed money than they would have if they played hardball. It would have been a gamble either way, though. If they had played hardball, they would have risked alienating their biggest star. If Witt Jr. has a huge 2023 season and makes another leap, they would have been looking at $350 million guaranteed with a potential value of upwards of $450 million if they wanted to extend him after next season.
The Royals made a fair deal and locked up their franchise cornerstone for the long haul without creating drama or controversy. That earns the team an A-.
Grade for Royals: A-
What is a good comparison for this deal?
The closest direct comparison that can be made for this deal is Fernando Tatis Jr.’s extension with the San Diego Padres. Tatis Jr.'s deal was for 14 years and $340 million. Witt Jr.’s extension is a fair compromise, with fewer guaranteed years and less guaranteed money but the potential for the contract to be worth more in the end if the Royals exercise their three club option years.
Witt Jr. also has significant leverage because he has several years worth of player options as part of this contract. If he develops into one of the bonafide top five or top 10 players in the league, he'll be able to either exercise opt out of his deal to sign a new contract worth significantly more money, or perhaps put pressure on the Royals front office to rework his deal and offer him more money.
Witt Jr. has shown immense potential and significant growth between his first and second years in the league. However, Tatis Jr. was a bonafide superstar from the moment he stepped onto a big league diamond. Tatis Jr. had more questions around his health and maturity than Witt Jr. does, but he had also demonstrated more on the field.
Both sides can be happy with this extension agreement
Here is the bottom line: While this deal may not be quite perfect for either side, it is more than fair to both sides and they can both be happy with it. in some ways, that makes it the epitome of the perfect deal.
Follow Us
Subscribe