Bobby Witt Jr. (right) hits a home run but isn't credited with one. Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Royals prospect Bobby Witt Jr. says umpire missed call on home run robbery

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 6/8/21

Kansas City Royals top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. says that the umpire missed the call when he cost the infielder a home run on Tuesday.

Witt went 3-for-4 in his Northwest Arkansas Naturals’ 7-6 win over the Frisco RoughRiders on Tuesday. He homered in the first and should have had a second home run in the fifth. But there was one problem: the umpire said he didn’t step on home plate.

Well…

Bobby Witt Jr. mashes one 430 feet to left field but the home plate umpire says he didn’t touch home plate after circling the bases…

So this goes down as a really, really long triple. pic.twitter.com/mrYKnRSnGh

— NW Arkansas Naturals (@nwanaturals) June 9, 2021

That’s weird, because it sure looked like he stepped on the plate, at least from our angle.

Lol what are we doing here? pic.twitter.com/s2UgupCVg1

— Royals Farm Report (@RoyalsFarm) June 9, 2021

Witt Jr. even said on Twitter after the game that he stepped on the plate:

Can confirm that I touched home… https://t.co/8pLLn6pK6k

— Bobby Witt Jr (@BwittJr) June 9, 2021

Despite the appearances and Witt’s insistence, Frisco appealed the call. Witt was called out at home for not touching the plate and credited with a triple. Witt now has 10 home runs on the season instead of 11.

The 20-year-old was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft. He looked great in spring training but is batting .257 with an .877 OPS this season.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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