Kansas City's Bobby Witt Jr. bats against the Texas Rangers during an alternate training site baseball game, Saturday, April 24, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

Kansas City Royals minor leaguer Bobby Witt Jr. recently was named Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year after a historic season that has him on the brink of a bump up to the big league club.

Witt, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft, nearly became the seventh player this century to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a single season, splitting his time between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha during his first full professional season.

Ranked as the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline and Baseball America, Witt hit 33 home runs, drove in 97 runs and stole 29 bases this season. He played in 123 games and led all Minor League players with 72 extra-base hits. He also finished fourth in runs scored (99) and total bases (286) and fourth in home runs and RBIs.

In addition, Witt earned the franchise’s George Brett Hitter of the Year honor, given annually to the top player in Kansas City’s Minor League system.

The Royals’ farm system also featured the Minor League home run king, as MJ Melendez led all Minor Leaguers with 41 home runs while splitting time with Northwest Arkansas and Omaha.

He is the third player in the Royals system since 2002 to lead the minors in home runs, joining Craig Brazell (2007) and Mike Moustakas (2010).

Melendez, a second-round pick in 2017, also hit .288 and drove in 103 runs.