Don't Overthink Bobby Witt Jr. as a Great Bet for American League Rookie of the Year
By Matt De Saro
One of my favorite parts of any MLB season is getting to see a new crop of rookies compete in their debut season. Naturally, I pay close attention to the Rookie of the Year Awards as well in both the American League and National League. For this article, we will be focused solely on the AL.
As of this writing, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals is the favorite to win the AL ROY award at +275. He's been the favorite to win since the odds opened at WynnBET Sportsbook earlier this month.
The odds on Tuesday, March 28 for the AL ROY are as follows:
- Bobby Witt Jr. +275
- Julio Rodriguez +500
- Spencer Torkelson +500
- Adley Rutschman +600
- Shane Baz +1000
- Jeremy Pena +1200
- Josh Jung +1200
- Reid Detmers +1500
- Riley Greene +1500
On pitches like this, Mike Trout appears to hit home runs with his ab muscles. Bobby Witt Jr. did a good impression here. #Royals https://t.co/MJUsPTAA2v
— Josh Vernier (@JoshVernier610) March 22, 2022
So what makes Witt the odds-on-favorite of this group of standout talents? Well, for starters, he is a 6' 1" shortstop/3B seems to have it all. He was the 2019 Gatorade National High School Player of the Year and was taken second by the Royals in the 2019 Draft.
Last year was a breakout season for Witt between AA and AAA ball. He hit .290/.361/.575 with 33 home runs and 29 stolen bases. His combination of defense, speed, and power make him a very dangerous player if he can keep it up in the bigs. So far, he has impressed as a non-roster invitee to spring training. In 18 at-bats, he is hitting .444 with two home runs, five RBIs, and one stolen base. He also has just one strikeout which shows a lot of plate discipline.
Former GM on Witt Jr. (@MLBNetwork)
— Josh Vernier (@JoshVernier610) March 28, 2022
"I really struggled coming up with a player comp. For me, he’s going to be the player *other* players get compared to. I call these type of guys ‘generational-type players.’ They come along once in your career.” #Royals https://t.co/E971TAli8Y
I also like Adley Rutschman and Josh Jung as candidates. But, Witt is favored for a reason and is a smart bet during Spring Training. Especially if he keeps up this tear at the plate.