Bobby Witt Jr. just added another line to a growing stack of hardware, and this one puts him in a lane all by himself.
On Friday, the Royals shortstop was named the 2026 Heart & Hustle Award winner by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association, making him the first player to win the honor three times since the award began in 2005. Witt, 26, had already matched Hall of Famer Craig Biggio as the only two-time winner. Now he’s the lone three-time champ, with all three victories coming in consecutive seasons.
The award, created by the MLBPAA in 2005, goes to an active player who shows a passion for baseball and best reflects the values, spirit and traditions of the game. Each club has one nominee chosen by a committee of former players, and the overall winner is decided by votes from fans, alumni and active big leaguers.
Kansas City has put Witt forward every year of his first five Major League seasons, and the reasons are easy to see. He’s become one of the sport’s premier all-around players while also leaving his mark in the clubhouse and the community.
His 2026 season backed that up again. Witt hit .281 with 18 home runs, 33 doubles and 45 stolen bases in 143 games. His 7.0 fWAR led the American League and trailed only the Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong, who finished at 10.6, across the majors.
Witt also made more history at the plate, becoming the first player in Major League history to post at least 10 home runs and 25 stolen bases in each of his first five seasons.
The glove stayed elite, too. His 24 Outs Above Average led the American League and ranked third in the majors, according to Statcast.
This latest honor comes during a busy offseason for Witt. He was also named a finalist for the AL MVP Award with the Astros’ Yordan Alvarez and the Rays’ Junior Caminero, and the winner will be announced next Thursday on MLB Network.
He’s in the running for another Silver Slugger as well. Witt is a finalist for his third straight award at shortstop, and if he wins, he’d become the first AL shortstop to take the honor in three consecutive seasons since Derek Jeter won four in a row from 2006-09.
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