Did Bobby Witt Jr. just have the best single season in Royals history?

If there were any doubters that the Kansas City Royals made the right call by signing shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to his mega-contract last offseason, they've surely been silenced after his performance in 2024. Along with being nominated for American League MVP and the AL Hank Aaron Award, Witt Jr. won a Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger Award this season, and now, another trophy has been added to his cabinet.

On November 22, the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association announced that Witt Jr. was voted by former players as the 2024 winner of the Overall Heart & Hustle Award. Since 2005, the prestigious honor has celebrated "active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and tradition of the game," and Witt Jr. is the first player in Royals history to take home the Award.

Considering the accolades, it's only natural that fans start asking one big question — did Witt Jr. just have the best single season in Royals history?

Was Witt Jr.'s 2024 season the best in KC Royals history?

There's no denying that Witt Jr. had an absolutely incredible year in 2024.

In the regular season, he posted a career-best .332/.389/.588 slashline, with 32 home runs, 109 RBI, and 31 stolen bases in 636 at-bats. He led MLB in both batting average and hits (211), ranked 2nd in doubles (45), 3rd in both runs (125) and triples (11), 4th in OPS (.977), and 6th in on-base percentage. This year was also Witt Jr.'s second 30-homer, 30-stolen base season of his career, making him the first shortstop in MLB history to achieve multiple 30-30 campaigns.

As if that's not enough, Witt Jr.'s unbelievable 10.4 fWAR surpassed former-Royal George Brett's 1980 record (9.1) as the best in franchise history.

With the stats laid out and accolades listed, there's an argument to be made that Witt Jr.'s 2024 season was the best in Royals history. Brett's 1980 season would clearly be his biggest contender, though Witt Jr. surpassed him in a number of crucial stats this year.

KC Royals History: Brett in 1980 vs. Witt Jr. in 2024

During the 1980 season, third baseman Brett posted a stunning .390/.454/.664 line with 175 hits, 87 runs, 24 home runs, 118 RBI, 33 doubles, 9 triples, and 22 stolen bases in 449 at-bats. He was named AL MVP for his performance, and remains the only player in Royals history to have won the award. Brett also won a Silver Slugger Award in 1980, and received the fifth All-Star selection of his career.

So whose season was better? Brett in 1980, or Witt Jr. in 2024?

While Brett has Witt Jr. beat on batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, and RBI, Witt Jr. surpassed him in hits, runs, home runs, stolen bases, doubles, triples, and fWAR. Brett won the AL MVP — for which Witt Jr. was nominated but finished second in voting to the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge — but Witt Jr. took home a Gold Glove Award, which Brett didn't manage until 1985. Since the Heart & Hustle Award wasn't established until 2005, Brett didn't have an opportunity to win it in 1980.

It's hard to name a clear-cut winner between Brett in 1980 and Witt Jr. in 2024. Both seasons will go down in franchise history — as well as MLB history — regardless of which player's year is ranked over the other's. Fortunately for Witt Jr., he still has multiple opportunities to solidify his claim to the "best single season in Royals history" title in the years to come.

Last winter, Witt Jr. signed an 11-year, $288.7 million deal with Kansas City, and at just 24 years old, there will almost certainly be more incredible seasons ahead for the superstar shortstop.

After all, records were made to be broken.