'It just felt right': Bobby Witt Jr.'s debut ends with clutch hit to key Kansas City Royals win

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The national champion Kansas basketball team, the mayor of Kansas City, and the greatest player in Kansas City Royals history crammed into a suite down the third-base line at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday to watch one player.

Hall of Famer George Brett said that everyone wants to see the kid.

The kid is Bobby Witt Jr., the best prospect in baseball, and the local who saw his debut that ended in storybook fashion. Witt's first major league hit was a go-ahead double in the eighth, propelling the Royals to a 3-1 victory against the Cleveland Guardians.

Witt, 21, with a mustache and a mullet, received a thunderous ovation before his first at-bat in his first big league game. Witt got his first run of the season with two outs and Michael A. Taylor on second base.

Witt thought he would be a lot more nervous. Nothing happened during the game. Nothing at the first at-bat. So when will this happen? It was great. It just felt right.

Witt was chosen by the Royals with the second overall pick in the draft. He stole 29 bases and hit 33 home runs at AA andAAA last season, after an eye-opening performance at Kansas City's alternate site during the 2020 season.

Witt pivoted to third base in the spring to try to win a big league job. He hit.406/.441/.781 with three home runs in Arizona, easily locking up the job and showing the sort of raw talent that has Brett, himself a former third baseman, saying: "The hype is deserved." I don't think he can do anything.

Witt got his first hit by working his way around the diamond. He flew out to right field, grounded out to second base and grounded out to the shortstop before he got to McKenzie, who had mowed down Kansas City hitters similar to the Guardians starter. Kansas City was in the game because of a bravura effort by Zack Greinke.

Royals manager Mike Matheny said he was not concerned. It was one of those conversations that I would expect to have here. This is how it is supposed to go.

Getting his name chanted on his first day in the majors is pretty cool.

For more than a year, Royals fans have been waiting for the arrival of Witt, as well as first baseman Nick Pratto and catcher MJ Melendez. Witt's debut is the start of it, and from the KU basketball team to Kansas City Chiefs coach, those who came to see it did not leave disappointed.

Witt said it was a dream come true. I want to keep doing it now that it is here.