Kansas City Royals starter Noah Cameron never has to worry when he steps onto a big-league mound.
The left-handed pitcher who just completed his rookie season in Major League Baseball knows that No. 7 and No. 11 are right behind him.
It’s a matter of convenience for the Royals standout. As many pitchers will agree, a good defense is the ultimate safety blanket. And the Royals have arguably one of the best infield duos in all of baseball.
“I mean, it’s insane,” Cameron said. “I remember in Tampa, I think it was the first inning, (shortstop) Bobby (Witt Jr.) made probably the best play I’ve ever seen.
“It was behind me and I remember just smiling on the mound. I’m just like ‘Holy cow! I don’t have to do anything up here besides let them hit it.’ Hopefully it goes to somebody or it goes in somebody’s general direction. It just changes the game.”
Witt’s reputation precedes him. His No. 7 Royals jersey is among the most popular in the league, which is befitting for a true superstar.
And Witt’s defensive running mate — Maikel Garcia — continues to build his own legacy. Garcia, who sports No. 11 on the field, emerged as a breakout star this year. He set career highs across the board and solidified his place as a focal point in the Royals organization.
Each infielder — Witt and Garcia — has his own lane, things he does especially well. This offseason, the pair’s excellent glove-work was rewarded with a golden, and later platinum, upgrade.
“It’s really cool and just so much easier to pitch,” Cameron said.
A platinum experience There were growing concerns early in Witt’s career, questions about whether he could handle the defensive rigors of the shortstop position.
In 2022, Witt committed a team-high 19 errors while splitting time at short and third base. At the time, the Royals rookie had a lot to clean up defensively.
Witt took that to heart. “You are working to go out there and be able to help the team make plays,” he said.
Witt spent the following offseason refining his defensive skills. He always had the makeup to be a great defender, but the results hadn’t followed. The Royals assisted him in various ways, including with a coaching change.
The organization hired Matt Quatraro as its major-league manager in 2023. He brought in his own staff that included infield coach Jose Alguacil.
Alguacil worked tirelessly with the entire KC infield. He drilled Witt, Garcia, Michael Massey, Vinnie Pasquantino and others on defensive fundamentals.
There were funneling drills and footwork exercises and the Royals even put in extra time during spring training to better prepare for the rigors of a 162-game season.
In the process, Kansas City’s infielders blossomed defensively. And Witt saw a steady decline in his total errors — he had just 10 this season.
“(It’s just) working on defensive stuff, just from the first step, making plays and making the routine plays routine,” Witt said. “And it’s also just trying to stay locked in. … The biggest change is just being able to stay locked in every pitch. Just pitch by pitch and every game.”
Witt collected his second consecutive Gold Glove at shortstop this fall. He later received a Platinum Glove as the best defensive player in the American League.
Since 2024, Witt has 40 outs above average. Additionally, he is the first Royal to win the Gold Glove twice at shortstop.
“I’m really proud of everything that they’ve done,” Quatraro said, “that Josie (Alguacil) has done and the R&D (research and development) department has done to put them in good positions all the work they have put in.
“It’s just such a big operation and a big project for what everybody sees on the field. I think that validates a lot of the processes we are doing, too.”
Witt has a good chance to win his third Gold Glove next season. But he understands that his ability to defend at a high level wouldn’t be the same without Garcia by his side.
