The Kansas City Royals have decided to lock up Bobby Witt Jr. at the Kaufman Stadium for the next decade as the two parties agreed to an 11-year, $288.8 million contract extension.
The deal, signed a week before players report back to their respective teams for spring, is the largest in franchise history, eclipsing Salvador Perez's four-year, $82 million contract signed in 2021.
While the amount has many people in awe, the Royals keeping Witt Jr. is inevitable.
Witt Jr. played sensational in his third year last season, posting .276/.319/.495 with 30 home runs and 49 stolen bases.
At 23 years old, he is already entering an elite territory after getting into the 30-30 club last season (30 homers and 49 stolen bases), the first for the Royals. The last person to accomplish such distinction in the American League was Alex Rodriguez in 1998 while still playing for the Seattle Mariners.
"From the day we drafted him we felt confident Bobby would become one of our game's brightest stars and biggest talents," Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said after Bobby Witt Jr's contract announcement.
"These last two seasons have been confirmation of that talent, and proof that he's an even better teammate. We know he wants to win here for our fans as much as we do."
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Kansas City aims to transform its baseball team in the following seasons and become a contender.
Part of the plan is to build a new stadium.
Bobby Witt Jr. contract details
The 2019 second-overall draft pick will be with the Royals until 2037.
The contract extension gives Witt Jr. an opt-out term by the time they reach the seventh, eighth, ninth, and 10th season. There is also a club option once the contract ends in its 11th year. This will allow the contract to add three more years and an additional $89 million of the total amount, elevating to a 14-year, $377 million ceiling.
Highest-paid shortstops in MLB
The deal will bring Witt Jr. to the list of MLB's highest-paid shortstop by 2030.
Francisco Lindor signed a 10-year $341 million contract with the New York Mets in March of 2021 to seal the highest contract for a shortstop ever.
Cory Seager owns the second-highest shortstop deal after he signed a 10-year, $325 million contract with the Texas Rangers at the end of the same season.
The Rangers splashed on their shortstops in that same year as they also signed Marcus Semien on a $175 million, seven-year pact 24 hours before Seager's contract was completed.
In terms of annual salary, Seager was the highest-earning shortstop in 2023 with $35 million, followed by Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins ($33 million).
Lindor is at the third sport with $32 million, while Trea Turner of the Philadelphia Phillies is in the fourth spot at $27 million.
San Diego Padres' Xander Bogaert earned $27.2 million in the same year.
Witt Jr. will only start earning in the range of $30 million to $35 million by 2030. This new season, he is set to earn $9.7 million, according to Spotrac.
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