Bobby Witt Jr was named a finalist for AL MVP.
Witt, 26, joins Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero and Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez as finalists. The AL MVP is voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Witt finished second for the 2024 AL MVP. And in 2025, he was fourth behind eventual winner and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.
This season, Witt hit .281 with 157 hits, 33 doubles, 18 home runs and 54 RBIs. He also appeared in 143 games while posting a 6.7
WAR (wins above replacement).
Perla Paredes at MLB dot com gave an overview of Witt’s case.
At the plate, Witt led qualified AL shortstops with a .281 batting average, .441 slugging percentage and 33 doubles. He also finished with 18 home runs, 94 runs scored and 157 hits while posting a .359 on-base percentage and an .800 OPS.
Although his offensive numbers were more modest than in previous seasons, Witt showed greater patience at the plate, drawing a career-high 67 walks, surpassing his previous high of 57 in 2024.
While Alvarez and Caminero each showcased their power with 42 home runs this season, Witt strengthened his MVP case with his elite defense at shortstop.
Carson Roccaforte nabbed a minor league gold glove award.
Roccaforte made difficult plays look routine and had a nose for making the spectacular play. The Kansas City Royals’ 2023 Competitive Balance Round B selection logged 320 putouts in the field between two levels, with 13 outfield assists, while posting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
Roccaforte, 24, joins Nick Pratto as the only Naturals in club history to claim the honor. Pratto won the award in 2021 with a .998 fielding at first base. Other Naturals who were MiLB Gold Glovers before they reached Northwest Arkansas include INF Michael Massey (2021) and LHP Frank Mozzicato (2024), both of whom achieved the honor with High-A Quad Cities.
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