Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. made an unreal play in Team USA’s game against Mexico.
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. continued to establish himself as one of the best players in all of Major League Baseball last season. The 25-year-old hit .295 with 23 home runs and 88 RBIs, paired with elite defense at one of baseball’s most premier positions. This production made him a no-brainer addition to Team USA’s World Baseball Classic roster.
Showcasing his superstardom on the world stage, Witt has already come up with big moments for Team USA. In the fourth inning of Monday’s contest against Mexico, he showed off his elite defense by making a diving play to his backhand side. Throwing from his knees, Witt got Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk at first base by a step.
The play left World Baseball Classic fans, players and more in disbelief, as there are few other infielders, if any, in baseball who make that play. The tournament’s official page on X shared the highlight with a caption that sums up how fans feel.
Witt was not in the starting lineup when Team USA faced Great Britain on Sunday, but it was seemingly just an off day for him as manager Mark DeRosa looked to get other players like Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson in the starting lineup. But it is clear that Witt is one of the very best players on this roster, and in the world, so expect to see him slotted at shortstop as the tournament progresses.
Just one inning later, Witt made another diving stop to his backhand side on a grounder hit by Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Nick Gonzales. He popped to his feet this time, throwing a seed to Bryce Harper at first base to get the out.
"BOBBY WITT JR. IS UNREAL!!!" the WBC captioned its post on X.
As the Royals watch Witt star in the WBC, the team is preparing for a 2026 MLB season in which they project to factor heavily into the American League Central division race. That division was won by the Cleveland Guardians last season, as they erased a 15.5-game deficit to overtake the Detroit Tigers and win a second straight division crown.
But with Cleveland having a quiet offseason and the Royals making some impressive moves, there is reason to believe Kansas City could very much be in play for a division title in 2026.
If nothing else, the Royals have a top-five player in baseball on their roster and did work this winter to build around him. With a unique combination of power, contact, speed, and defense, Witt is truly one of the most complete players in the game.
United States infielder Bobby Witt Jr. (7) / © Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Monday’s web gem, along with the two hits Witt collected, again showed his all-around talent. Team USA will need much more of that from Kansas City’s shortstop if it wants to continue dominating this tournament as the competition gets more difficult.
Defeating Mexico 5-3, Team USA is now 3-0 in WBC play to remain undefeated as it looks to avenge 2023 and win it all.