Cubs' Bryant captures NL Rookie of the Year honors
Ben Grieve. Ben Davis. Adam Johnson. Greg Reynolds. Danny Hultzen.
Over the past two decades, they all were drafted No. 2 overall. And they all were far from successful.
The Chicago Cubs had the second pick in the 2013 draft, and they appear to have hit the jackpot.
Time will tell if he can keep up the pace, but Kris Bryant looks to be about as sure a thing as possible.
On Monday, the 23-year-old third baseman was unanimously voted National League Rookie of the Year.
Bryant, a star at the University of San Diego, was voted College Player of the Year in 2013, and he won Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year honors in 2014.
Some players are unable to handle the intense pressures that come with great expectations. Others, like Bryant, thrive in the spotlight.
“I don't think there was any pressure from myself, just because you're surrounded by a lot of guys your same age, a lot of rookies,” Bryant said of his first season with the Cubs. “You don't need to put that pressure on yourself.
“I think the only expectations that really matter are the ones you put on yourself, and I certainly exceeded my expectations this year, just going out there every day and playing hard and being confident.”
Opening his rookie season with Class AAA Iowa, Bryant joined the Cubs on April 17 and did not get a full year of service time. That created an obvious controversy, but it's a practice used by all alert major-league teams to delay impending free agency by a year.
“I said what needed to be said earlier in the year,” Bryant said of his delayed debut. “Right now, I'm kind of really just enjoying the award that I've won and the season we had as a team.
“I think things happen for a reason. I played with a little chip on my shoulder this year, and I think it's good to play that way sometimes. When you have something to play for, sometimes you play even better.”
Bryant hit .275 in 151 games with the Cubs and established rookie franchise records with 26 home runs, 99 RBI, 62 extra-base hits and 273 total bases. He also hit .292 with runners in scoring position and had 31 doubles, 86 runs scored, 77 walks and 13 stolen bases.
While winning Rookie of the Year honors comes as no surprise, Bryant was more fired up about the Cubs winning 97 games during the regular season and advancing to the National League championship series.
“When you're in high school and you're going through the scout ball tournaments, it's a little more selfish,” Bryant said. “And then you get up to the minor leagues, big leagues, and they have your stats on every scoreboard.
“But at the same time, you have to realize it is a team sport and 20 years from now you're not going to remember your batting average or how many home runs you hit in a certain season.
“It's going to be the championship that you won and the friendships you gained by winning a championship. I try to be as least selfish as possible and try to make it all about the team. I think when you do that then good things usually happen for you as an individual.”
For as good as he has been in college, the minor leagues and now the majors, Bryant is not satisfied.
“I certainly have a lot that I can improve on and be even better as an overall player,” he said.
Bryant led the NL with 199 strikeouts (in 650 plate appearances), and he made 17 errors in 144 games at third base.
“I think definitely I'd like to make a little more contact,” Bryant said. “But I think it's important to realize what you do well and what you don't do well and realize you're not a perfect player.
“Make a little more contact, have a little more solid approach at the plate, just realizing how pitchers are going to try to get me out now that I have a history with a lot of the pitchers, I'm looking forward to that challenge.
“And obviously just being even better at third base. I think this year was a big step for me improving over there and showing I can play that position.”