CUBS THIRD BASEMAN KRIS BRYANT UNANIMOUSLY NAMED
2015 NATIONAL LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was today unanimously named the National League Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America.  Bryant received all 30 of the possible first-place votes for a total of 150 points. San Francisco’s Matt Duffy placed second with 70 points.

Bryant is the first player in franchise history to earn unanimous Rookie of the Year honors and the sixth player in team history to win overall, the first since catcher Geovany Soto in 2008.  Outfielder Billy Williams (1961), infielder Ken Hubbs (1962), outfielder Jerome Walton (1989) and right-handed pitcher Kerry Wood (1998) join Bryant and Soto as Rookies of the Year in club history.

The 23-year-old Bryant was a 2015 National League All-Star and led all major league rookies in several offensive categories, including 26 home runs (tied), 99 RBI, 31 doubles and 87 runs scored while placing second with 77 walks.  Bryant is only the second player in major league history to reach those totals in homers, RBI, doubles, runs and walks in his rookie campaign, joining Boston’s Ted Williams in 1939.  Bryant this year also set rookie franchise records in home runs, RBI, total bases (273) and extra-base hits (62).

Bryant became only the sixth rookie in franchise history to make the N.L. All-Star team, the first since both Soto and outfielder Kosuke Fukudome in 2008.  Bryant was the club’s first rookie infielder to make the squad since second baseman Don Johnson in 1944 and the club’s first 23-year-old or younger third baseman to make the team since 23-year-old Ron Santo in 1963.

Overall, Bryant batted .275 (154-for-559) with a .369 on-base percentage and a .488 slugging percentage in 151 games with the Cubs this season.  He earned National League Rookie of the Month honors in both May and August, only the second Cubs rookie to earn multiple honors in a season (Soto, twice in 2008).

 

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