Royals top prospect Witt Jr to start opener at third base

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bobby Witt Jr., widely considered the best prospect in baseball, has made the Kansas City roster and will start at third base in the Royals’ season opener against the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday at Kauffman Stadium.

The move with the 21-year-old infielder was widely expected, especially after he hit well in spring training. Witt batted .290 with 33 homers and 29 steals across Double-A and Triple-A last season.

The Royals chose to go with Witt at third base, even though his natural position is shortstop, so they could keep Adalberto Mondesi there.

Witt was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 first-year player draft. His father, Bobby Witt Sr., pitched for 16 years in the big leagues with several different franchises.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Major League Baseball is looking into a video circulating on social media that appears to show Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon grab a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after Thursday night’s game in Oakland, a league spokesperson said Friday.

Rendon looks to have grabbed the fan’s shirt near his chest through the bars of the railing and exchanged words with him before appearing to take a swipe at the bill of the man’s ballcap and walking into the tunnel.

Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko says the team has no comment. The Angels do not play Friday, but the club expects Rendon to address the video Saturday in the clubhouse before the game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland.

The video shows the fan, dressed in A’s colors, approach the railing as Rendon turns toward him from the tunnel walkway below. Rendon then appears to grab the man’s shirt and ask him what he just said, accusing the fan of calling him a derogatory term before swiping at his ballcap.

The A’s won the game 2-1.

Royals top prospect Witt Jr. to start opener at third base

Anthony Rendon fan interaction video looked into by MLB