KC Royals: 2 truths, 1 lie about Bobby Witt Jr.

Claim #2: Bobby Witt Jr.'s glove is better after the 2022 struggles. 

Royals fans are all too familiar with Witt's defensive struggles during his rookie campaign. Witt is a five-tool player, but that glove tool did not translate immediately to the big leagues. His 11 fielding errors tied for the most among all MLB shortstops, and his fielding percentage was the 13th-worst in the league too. The arm strength was there, and he amazed fans with some highlight-worthy throws. But all in all, Witt was far from an average defensive shortstop. 

There were calls from the stands that the Royals should consider moving Witt to third base. It made sense, even if Witt was not a great defender there either. Quatraro silenced those doubters quickly this winter, calling for patience and more time for Witt. 

I think there was some technique things — footwork, body position. I think really it just came down to reps, and I think getting more reps at the big-league level is going to be the thing that helps him the most.

So far, Quatraro's decision has looked great for 2023. He only has two errors this season, well above the league's worst shortstops. A .976 fielding percentage is nothing to go crazy over, but it is a notable improvement from his rookie campaign. Witt looks more collected in the field, something that can only happen with practice and experience. Witt still trusts his arm more than he should at points, but all the metrics and the eye test say Witt is a better defender by far.

Verdict: True

Claim #3: Bobby Witt Jr. struggles against the fastball most. 

Pitchers threw more four-seam fastballs at Witt in 2022 than any other pitch. The reasoning makes sense: trying to take advantage of a free-swinging rookie behind the count in certain situations It was an effective decision, as evident by Witt's .227 batting average and 24.2 put-away percentage. Witt excelled against sliders and curveballs during 2022, but both were cancelled out by how badly he struggled against fastballs.

Unfortunately, a year of seasoning has not changed Witt's performance against the fastball. He faces the pitch 40.6% of the time simply because it works. A 24% K%, 22.6 put-away%, and .174 batting average are not great metrics for the second-year shortstop. Baseball Savant says the four-seam fastball has a -6 run value against Witt in 2023. That may not sound like a lot, but it is bad. Witt against the fastball ranks 1,243rd among all MLB batters according to run value. Only four other batters rank worse than Witt by run value, all against the four-seam fastball, oddly enough.

Sure, there are metrics showing Witt is improving against the fastball. Slight improvements in K%, Hard Hit%, and Whiff% show some signs of hope. But his production against the pitch so far in 2023 should concern fans. Hopefully, Witt can figure out how to address his Achilles heel at the plate.

Verdict: True