On Tuesday, the Kansas City Royals announced on social media that Bobby Witt Jr. received the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award for the 2025 season. He becomes the third Royals player in franchise history to earn the award, joining Hall of Famer George Brett and current captain Salvador Perez.  

 

For those unfamiliar with the award, it is defined as follows, according to the press release found on MLB.com. 

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Phi Delta Theta [International Fraternity] presents the award annually to a Major League Baseball player who best exemplifies the giving character of Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig, who was a member of the Fraternity’s Columbia University chapter. The award was first presented in 1955 and is permanently maintained at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Witt earned the award through his various charitable contributions to the Kansas City community, as highlighted in the article. His most prominent work was raising funds and awareness for research and support in the fight against ALS. That includes hosting camps and clinics that raised $45,000 to financially support those suffering from ALS, including Sarah Nauser, a local Kansas Citian who has developed a close relationship with Witt and the Royals organization over the years. 

In the press release, Perez highlighted Witt’s work in the fight against ALS, as well as the leadership he demonstrates in the clubhouse and the community. Salvy pointed out that Witt deserves to be the next Royals captain after he retires (though no date has been set on that yet). 

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“I tell people I hope Bobby is our next captain,” said current Royals Captain Salvador Perez. “He is the best player I’ve ever played with, but captains lead the way off the field, too. He is a great teammate, and I am so proud to see everything he’s involved with, especially the fight against ALS.”

In addition to his work in the fight against ALS, Witt was also involved in increasing youth participation in baseball through MLB’s Play Ball initiative, serving as the first-ever Play Ball Ambassador. Furthermore, Witt volunteered as a Royals Literacy League Classroom champion to improve literacy rates in elementary schools across the Kansas City Metro. All these different causes contributed to him earning this prestigious award in the MLB community. 

What Witt Means to the Royals and Kansas City

In the press release, Royals President of Baseball Operations JJ Picollo commented on Witt’s honor and how the Royals superstar embodied the spirit of Gehrig with this award, and in his work in the Kansas City community.

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“Bobby’s talent and impact on the field are obvious, but all of us here are so proud of the positive light he’s become off the field and in our community,” Royals President of Baseball Operations/General Manager J.J. Picollo said. “An award named after Lou Gehrig is an incredible honor and we’re thrilled that Bobby’s heart, care and generosity continue to serve as an example for others.”

Hopes were high when Witt was drafted No. 2 overall in the 2019 MLB Draft. While still a high schooler, many Royals fans envisioned Witt when he was selected as someone who could become the kind of franchise player the organization hadn’t really had since Brett retired after the 1993 season (which included Brett hitting a walk-off home run in his last game).

 

There have been players post-Brett who have been anointed as the heir apparent to lead the Royals franchise. That includes highly-drafted players like Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Alex Gordon, Carlos Beltran, and even Johnny Damon, with the latter starring in a commercial with Brett that almost hinted at Damon being the next “face” of the Royals franchise. 

 

However, while all those players had their moments and highs, they have never touched Brett’s aura. Witt isn’t quite there just yet, but he’s closing the gap quite quickly. 

In just four seasons, Witt has collected 105 home runs, 403 runs, 373 RBI, and 148 stolen bases. In 2,722 career plate appearances, he has a .290 average, .357 wOBA, 129 wRC+, and 26.7 fWAR. Since 2010, Witt has accumulated the most fWAR of any Royals player, surpassing Gordon this past year, who accumulated 26.2 fWAR since 2010, according to Fangraphs. 

The dynamic Royals shortstop has also earned hardware during his four-year tenure.

 

In addition to the Gehrig award, he’s also a two-time All-Star, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove winner, and a one-time Platinum Glove winner and American League Batting champion. He’s finished in the Top-5 in AL MVP voting twice, including second in 2024 (behind the Yankees’ Aaron Judge). Lastly, he’s been on Team USA for the World Baseball Classic twice and should be a key part of their lineup in this year’s edition. (It’s amazing how he was buried by Team USA manager Mark DeRosa in the last WBC for Tim Anderson, who’s pretty much out of baseball now.)

 

 

Amazingly, Witt has also earned all these honors under the age of 26. What’s even more incredible is that Witt isn’t satisfied with his career just yet. He believes he has even more room to grow, as discussed in a recent interview with MLB Network.

All of Witt’s on-field honors, combined with the Gehrig award, show how important and special Witt is to the Royals community and in Kansas City sports history.

Because the Royals are a small-market franchise in a game where big markets rule, it seemed likely that Witt’s tenure with the Royals would be brief. That was the case with former “stars” before Witt like Damon, Beltran, and Hosmer (at least Hosmer helped the Royals to two pennants and a title). After all, Witt’s dad played for the Texas Rangers, a big-market franchise in his home state. Many pessimistic Royals fans assumed Witt would eventually return to Texas once he became a free agent. Heck, there was even a point where some from that Royals fanbase thought it would be beneficial to trade Witt for a super prospect package, similar to the one the Nationals got from San Diego in exchange for Juan Soto.

And yet, the Royals not only held onto him, but also inked him prior to the 2024 season to an 11-year, $288.778 million deal that would guarantee him to be in Kansas City until at least 2030. Since signing that contract, Witt has not only achieved monumental individual success but has also led the Royals to two winning seasons and a return to the postseason. Remember, prior to 2024, the last Kansas City team to win a World Series was the 2015 team.

Witt winning on the field would be enough for Royals fans. And yet, he has done more than that.
 

He’s been active in the community. He’s a hit with kids like Roy Hobbs in “The Natural” (the movie, not the book, which is more depressing). He’s been a major supporter and advocate in the fight against a disease like ALS. Witt doesn’t have to do these things. He could be a superstar who could carry himself in a bigger city or market, hang out with all kinds of celebrities, and make more money in endorsements for more national brands (or Kalshi; hopefully Witt never goes down this route like some athletes). 

However, that’s not Witt.

There’s something genuine about Witt. Something wholesome and unique that fans don’t often see in many baseball players, especially those paid vast sums of money per year. Witt has something special that makes him the exact right fit for the Royals franchise, which has been in the doldrums for decades. This fanbase and city not only needed winning baseball after years of brutal play in the wake of former owner Ewing Kauffman’s death and Brett’s retirement. They needed a hopeful face. Maybe not a savior, but something close to that.

Witt has been everything and more to Kansas City in his four seasons with the Royals. And the best part? There is more to come, both on the field and off.

The Gehrig award is just the beginning for Witt’s legacy with the Royals, as crazy as that sounds.