‘Game is in good hands:’ MLB All-Stars laud Bobby Witt Jr.’s rise to superstardom

Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman remembers fondly a young Bobby Witt Jr. running around the clubhouse.

Freeman, who began his career with the Atlanta Braves, was a teammate of Witt’s brother-in-law, James Russell, back in 2014. At the time, Freeman was a 24-year-old first baseman making his own inroads in Major League Baseball.

But he couldn’t help but notice Witt. There was an aura about him at such an early age that lingered with Freeman.

“I knew the Witt family very, very well,” Freeman said during All-Star availability at Globe Life Field on Monday. “I knew he was good, but I didn’t know he was going to be top-three player in the game.”

A decade later, Freeman will be in the opposite dugout at the 94th Midsummer Classic on Tuesday night.

Witt, an All-Star reserve, is joined by Kansas City Royals teammates Seth Lugo, Salvador Perez and Cole Ragans. Witt also participated in Monday’s T-Mobile Home Run Derby.

Witt chose Russell to pitch to him Monday night. That was something Freeman was excited to witness firsthand once again.

“He was always running around,” Freeman said. “When you come from a family like that, with that kind of athleticism, all the siblings and the mom and dad too, it’s actually kind of hard (to be an emerging star). To see him do it, and become one of the best players in the game at this early in his career, we are going to be talking about Bobby Witt Jr. for a very long time.”

Witt will grace the national stage this week, but he has already made a strong impression around the league.

“I think he has done a great job,” Milwaukee Brewers All-Star Christian Yelich said. “You know, I was telling somebody earlier, in 2018, I watched him do the High School Home Run Derby during the All-Star Game. To see him there and now out here, it’s pretty cool.”

Witt won the high school derby at Nationals Park. He defeated Cincinnati Reds rookie sensation Rece Hinds in the final round.

Since joining the Royals in 2019, Witt has also altered the club’s organizational culture.

He became the first Royal to reach the prestigious 30-30 club (30 home runs and 49 stolen bases) in 2023. This past offseason, he signed the richest contract in Royals history: a 14-year deal (11 years guaranteed) worth $288.7 million.

And Witt has surpassed expectations with his on-field play.

He is hitting .323 with 16 home runs, 63 RBIs and a .927 OPS (on-base plus slugging) this season. He also leads the American League with 125 hits and ranks second with 75 runs scored.

“I know he is like a super-talented kid, but to see how he works and to see his demeanor and how he handles himself, it was truly impressive,” New York Mets All-Star Pete Alonso said. And then, playing with him (in the World Baseball Classic) and seeing what he does, it’s really, really special.

“To see how he kind of blossomed and continues to perform on a very elite level, he is straight doing it. It’s really cool to see. He is a very special talent and Kansas City is lucky to have him. He is a phenomenal player.”

The Royals are chasing a potential playoff berth. Witt will be a catalyst for their chances of snapping a playoff drought that’s now nearly nine years old.

Witt has the ability to propel the Royals forward. His former youth baseball teammates, some of whom are now All-Stars, too, have seen it numerous times before.

“If there was a guy when we were young that could have done it, this is like 17-year-old me talking, I would say Bobby could do it,” Detroit Tigers All-Star Riley Greene said. “And he has done it. From a young age all the way up to now, he’s proven and shown that he is one of the best.”

Greene played alongside Witt with the USA National Baseball 18U team. That roster was loaded, with Witt’s fellow first-time All-Star, Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, also on the squad.

Years later, the trio is back together, each player making his first All-Star appearance in Texas.

“It’s awesome to be able to be here in person,” Greene said.

Witt is likely to make more All-Star appearances as his career unfolds. He was looking to enjoy the moment, and that started with Monday evening’s Home Run Derby.

As Yelich put it, there was a chance that Witt could find himself in the winner’s circle again.

“I won’t be surprised if he won it,” Yelich said. “I think I told somebody earlier, I think he would be a good dark-horse pick and obviously somebody that has done it in the past. I’m looking forward to seeing these guys put on a show.”

Philadelphia Phillies star Trea Turner agreed. He paved the way for the next generation of All-Star shortstops in Witt, Gunnar Henderson and Elly De La Cruz, among others. Now he’s excited to see where they take the position moving forward.

“The ceiling is so high and I know he wants to achieve a lot of big things,” Turner said of Witt. “I never got a chance to be around people like that when I was his age. So I’m a little jealous of him and I think he is really special, man. He’s a really good player and I like him as a person.”

Witt is realizing the potential Freeman saw in him at an early age. No longer a little kid running around the clubhouse, he is a budding superstar with an electric zeal for the game.

“The game is in really good hands for a very long time with guys like Bobby playing,” Freeman said.