Royals MVP candidate leads expert poll of baseball superstars

Fans of the Kansas City Royals know they have something special in 24-year-old shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.

Every night, Witt does something spectacular that moves the Royals closer to victory. He is a true five-tool player, one of the fastest runners, best fielders and most versatile, dynamic hitters in the game.

Witt's rise has been nothing short of meteoric since he debuted as a promising but inconsistent rookie two years ago. And considering the recent accolades he's received, it's clear Witt doesn't have much left to prove to the national baseball audience.

On Thursday, ESPN released the results of its “Most Exciting Player 2024” tournament, and Witt emerged as the winner in a close expert poll of Major League Baseball’s superstars.

In this knockout tournament, Witt's path to the title was anything but easy. He defeated New York Yankees superstar Juan Soto in the second round and fellow MVP candidate Aaron Judge in the semifinals.

“Many of our voters circled Witt vs. Judge when our slate was released,” ESPN said. “We had to turn to our emergency panel, who decided in favor of Witt's dynamic skills over Judge's unmatched hitting power.”

In the final, Witt faced Cincinnati Reds All-Star Elly De La Cruz, a duel between the two most athletic shortstops in the game.

“De La Cruz can do it all. Witt can do it all. But Witt's ability to do it all while maintaining a .333 batting average is what put our 2024 MLB Mr. Excitement at the top of our poll,” ESPN said.

It would be difficult to find a Royals fan who disagrees with the results. Those who watch Witt every night love his mix of explosiveness and consistency. He can do it all on a baseball field, but he also does all the little things that help the Royals win games.

National recognition is always a nice accolade for a player, but Witt will soon turn his full attention to helping the Royals reach their ultimate goal: their first World Series since 2015.

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