Former DFW high school baseball star Bobby Witt Jr. hits first career major league homer

Former Colleyville Heritage baseball star Bobby Witt Jr. hit his first career major league home run on Tuesday. The Kansas City Royals rookie hit a pitch off Dakota Hudson with two outs in the bottom of the second inning to give the Royals a 1-0 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Witt Jr., who plays third and shortstop for Kansas City, is in his third professional season.

He was drafted No. 2 overall by the Royals in 2019.

Witt Jr. is playing in his 21st MLB game on Tuesday. He came into the night batting 0.221 with five doubles, one triple, five RBI, six runs scored and four stolen bases. During his major league debut on April 7 against Cleveland, Witt Jr. had his first hit, a double, and first RBI as the Royals won 3-1.

In 37 games in rookie ball during the 2019 season, Witt Jr. had 43 hits, one home runs and 27 RBI.

Then in 2021 in Double-A and Triple-A, Witt Jr. hit 0.290 with 144 total hits, 33 homers and 97 RBI.

A graduate in 2019, the No. 1 overall prospect helped Heritage to the Class 5A state championship, was District MVP, Gatorade Texas and National Player of the Year and Star-Telegram all-area MVP.

He batted 0.500 as a senior with 63 hits, 37 going for extra bases. He finished with 15 home runs and 44 RBI while recording a .575 on-base percentage and 1.095 slugging percentage.

Witt Jr.’s father, Witt Sr., played in the MLB for 16 years with 11 coming as a Texas Ranger.

This story was originally published May 3, 2022 at 8:12 PM.