The 2026 WBC is especially important for Bobby Witt Jr.
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is one of the best players in all of MLB. The 25-year-old is a two-time All-Star who already has two top four American League MVP voting finishes. From a national standpoint, though, Witt is not quite as popular as players such as Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal and Bryce Harper. The 2026 World Baseball Classic may provide him with the opportunity to take the next step as far as popularity and marketability are concerned.
In all reality, Witt may not even care about popularity. His fans would surely love for him to receive more national media attention, though. The Royals would not mind it either, as it would surely lead to an uptick in fans at the ball park.
The 2026 WBC roster looks like a true dream team. Skubal and Skenes are set to lead an electric starting rotation. Judge is the captain of the ball club, and he will hit in the middle of the lineup. And then there is Witt, who will handle shortstop duties and probably hit near the top of the batting order.
Playing for Team USA in the WBC will place Witt on the national stage. Casual fans who were not as familiar with him will get to know him. Fans who usually do not watch baseball but end up tuning in for the Classic will get to see his exciting style of play.
Bobby Witt Jr. Could Have Huge WBC Performance
Starting at a premier position for Team USA while hitting in the same lineup as Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Alex Bregman and Byron Buxton will bring plenty of pressure. If Witt can meet his expectations and perform at an MVP-caliber level -- which he is capable of accomplishing -- he could have an extremely memorable World Baseball Classic.
In the end, winning is the primary goal for Witt and Team USA. Witt will not focus on individual performance and accolades.
With that being said, Witt could establish himself as a true superstar in the sport -- from both a performance and popularity standpoint -- with a strong World Baseball Classic. As baseball continues to bounce back and draw more interest, having a young star who all of the fans know will only help the game.
Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr. and the Team USA squad will begin their WBC journey towards winning the tournament in early March.