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MLB

I-Cub Alum Kris Bryant Named NL Rookie of the Year

By Randy Wehofer
November 17, 2015

Des Moines, IA - Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was unanimously named the National League Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America on Monday night. Bryant began the 2015 season as a member of the Iowa Cubs before having his contract purchased by Chicago on April 17. Bryant hit .321 (9-for-28) with three home runs and 10 RBI in seven games with Iowa to begin the season. Over the last two seasons, Bryant has played in 77 games for Iowa and posted an average of .298 (81-for-272) with 24 home runs, 62 RBI, 64 runs scored, and a 1.037 OPS.

Bryant is the sixth player in Chicago Cubs history to win this award and the fourth to have played for Iowa on his road to Wrigley Field. C Geovany Soto played for Iowa from 2005-07 before winning the award for Chicago in 2008. RH Kerry Wood played for Iowa in 1997 and returned to Iowa for one start in 1998. He struck out 11 in an Opening Day win over Nashville before going up to Chicago and eventually winning Rookie of the Year honors. OF Jerome Walton played four games for Iowa in 1989 before joining Chicago in his Rookie of the Year season. Walton would return to Iowa for rehab stints in both 1990 and 1992.

Five other former I-Cubs have Rookie of the Year ties. Current Chicago Cubs OF Chris Coghlan won the NL award in 2009 as a member of the Florida Marlins and started the 2014 season with Iowa before getting called up by Chicago. Current Chicago Cubs first base coach Eric Hinske played four games for Iowa in 1999 before getting re-assigned to high-A Daytona. He would later be traded to Oakland before the 2001 season and dealt again to Toronto following the '01 campaign before winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award with the Blue Jays in 2002. RH Hideo Nomo won the NL award with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995 and made three starts for the I-Cubs in 1999. Pat Listach was the AL Rookie of the Year with Milwaukee in 1992. He was Iowa's hitting coach from 2001-2005. He had a brief stint as interim manager in 2002 and returned to manage the I-Cubs in 2008. He won Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year honors while leading Iowa to the playoffs. RH Rick Sutfcliffe won the NL ROY in 1979 with the Dodgers and pitched on Major League rehab with Iowa in both 1990 and '91.

Bryant adds to an impressive collection of career awards and distinctions. He was named to the National League All-Star team in July and was twice named the NL Rookie of the Month (May and August). Last year, he won the Joe Bauman Trophy for leading all of minor league baseball with 43 home runs. Baseball America, USA Today, and the Cubs organization named him the Minor League Player of the Year. Baseball America also named him their College Player of the Year in 2014. The Cubs drafted Bryant with the second overall pick in the 2013 draft out of the University of San Diego.