Bobby Witt Jr.'s rise echoes of George Brett for KC Royals

The KC Royals open their Wild Card Series against Baltimore this afternoon. As the team prepares for this crucial matchup, the inevitable has arrived: Bobby Witt Jr.'s amazing rise to stardom has sparked comparisons to Kansas City legend George Brett.

The Witt-Brett parallels are likely to persist, drawing a line between the franchise's storied past and its promising future.

Bobby Witt Jr. and George Brett: A tale of 2 KC Royals talents

Both products of baseball powerhouse states — Brett from California, Witt from Texas — these infielders share more than just geographical roots. Their rookie campaigns landed them in the top five for American League Rookie of the Year voting, with Witt Jr. finishing fourth and Brett third.

But it's their early-career trajectories that truly highlight Witt Jr.'s exceptional start.

Through their age-24 seasons, Brett had accumulated a 22.1 bWAR, which included an extra full season. Witt Jr., meanwhile, has already amassed 14.7 bWAR. Even more impressive, Witt achieved his first 9+ bWAR season at 24 in 2024, a feat Brett didn't accomplish until his MVP year in 1980 at age 27.

Building a KC Royals legacy

Brett's impact on the franchise is undeniable. He tops the all-time bWAR list for Kansas City at 88.6, setting a lofty standard for those who follow. During Brett's tenure, the Royals made seven playoff appearances, captured the 1985 World Series title, and made it to the 1980 Fall Classic.

The post-Brett era has seen Kansas City struggle to maintain that level of success, with only two playoff berths since his retirement. However, those postseason runs resulted in a World Series appearance in 2014 and a World Series title in 2015.

Now, with Witt Jr. signed through at least 2030, the Royals are banking on his MVP-caliber production to usher in a new era of postseason success. While it's unfair to place the weight of an entire organization on a 24-year-old's shoulders, this is precisely the kind of return on investment Kansas City envisioned when they extended Witt in February.

The major league landscape has changed since Brett's playing days, with expanded playoffs now allowing six teams from each league to compete for a World Series title. This shift theoretically improves Kansas City's odds of playing October baseball, but recent history shows that even with previous expansions, postseason berths have remained elusive for the Royals.

As Witt continues to etch his name in Royals lore, the organization hopes his brilliance will translate to sustained success. The comparisons to Brett are inevitable, but Witt's true measure of greatness may ultimately be defined by how often he leads Kansas City back to baseball's biggest stage.

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