Return sweet for Witt Jr.

SPRINGDALE — Bobby Witt Jr. signed an 11-year, $288.7 million contract extension with Kansas City in early February, showing the Royals’ commitment to their 23-year-old shortstop and their promise to build the team around him.

But not long ago, Witt was one of the organization’s future stars with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, starting the 2021 season with the Royals’ Class AA affiliate.

Witt was back at Arvest Ballpark on Monday as part of the exhibition game between the Royals and Naturals, which Kansas City won 7-1.

“It’s great,” Witt said, standing in front of the same locker he used as a Natural. “It’s awesome to see everything, walk down the hall and just remember this is where I started my pro career. It’s really special now to come back. They’ve got the new logo and everything, which is pretty cool. But then just walking down the halls and seeing the pictures of us from that 2021 season, we had a lot of fun memories here and in the locker room. I’m in the same locker that I was, so it’s pretty cool.”

Witt was taken second overall of the 2019 amateur draft and played 37 games in rookie ball in the Arizona League.

The 2020 minor league season was canceled because of covid-19, and Witt was with the Naturals to start 2021. He hit .295 with 16 home runs and 51

RBI in 61 games before being promoted to Class AAA Omaha, where he hit 17 home runs with 46 RBI in 62 games.

Witt made his major league debut with the Royals in 2022 and last year hit .276 with 30 home runs, 96 RBI, 97 runs and 49 stolen bases.

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Caleb Grieger) Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (right) and third baseman Maikel Garcia (center) greet first baseman Vinny Pasquantino before Monday’s exhibition game against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale. All three players played for the Naturals — the Royals’ Class AA affiliate — during their minor league careers.