According to Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper, the Cubs signed 2B Tanner Witt to a minor league contract.
Tanner Witt was the rookie of the year last season in the Frontier League after hitting .305/.375/.395 for the Rockford Aviators.
Baseball America ranked Tanner Witt as the fourth best unsigned prospect in independent baseball. Witt was a reliever and primarily an outfielder at Kansas State and moved to second base last season after his manager saw more of a future for him as an infielder due to his size. Witt played second base and shortstop in college.
Tanner Witt is 5-foot-11, 185 pounds and bats and throws from the right side. According to Baseball America, Witt has “plenty of arm for second base and decent hands, but he needs to continue to improve his footwork and his ability to turn the double play.”
Tanner Witt had a .770 OPS in 96 games, 417 plate appearances, with 19 doubles, a triple and four home runs. Witt walked 39 times with 63 strikeouts and collected 112 hits. The former college reliever also pitched in one game. Witt was charged with two unearned runs on one hit with two walks and a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings.
Witt has gap power, according to Baseball America, with a short stroke and has shown the ability to work counts and get on base.
Tanner Witt turned 24 on January 25 and in his last season at Kansas State he batted .337 with eight doubles, three triples, a home run and a .398 OBP. During his four years in college, Witt put together a .295/.394/.359 slash line in 96 games with 23 doubles, seven triples, three home runs, 108 walks and 100 strikeouts for a .753 OPS.
As a pitcher over two seasons at Kansas State, Tanner Witt appeared in 25 games and recorded seven saves but did not have a win-loss record. Witt gave up 21 hits with 12 walks and 23 strikeouts in 26 innings for a 1.27 WHIP.
- Tanner Witt’s Page on Baseball-Reference
- Tanner Witt’s Page on The Baseball Cube
- Full Report from Baseball America