Kris Bryant

Kris Bryant had an amazing start to his major league career. Bryant was named an All-Star in each of his first two seasons. He won National League Rookie of the Year honors in 2015 after hitting .275 with 26 home runs and 99 RBI. Bryant was even better in 2016, being recognized as NL MVP after posting a .292 average, 39 homers and 102 RBI. He then hit over .300 during the postseason as the Cubs broke a 108-year drought and won the World Series. Bryant had two more All-Star appearances with Chicago before being traded to the San Francisco Giants in 2021. He signed a long-term contract with the Colorado Rockies the following offseason.

Bryant was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and starred at the University of San Diego in college, earning freshman All-American honors and both West Coast Conference Co-Freshman and Co-Player of the Year honors in 2011. In 2012 he belted 14 homeruns and was named an All-American for the second consecutive year as a sophomore and also earned a spot on the USA Baseball Team. His junior year however, topped them all. After belting 31 home runs he won the Golden Spikes Award as the best amateur player in the country and earned every national player of the year award in college baseball. In the 2013 MLB Draft the Chicago Cubs selected him with the 2nd overall pick in the 1st round and signed him to a minor league contract with a record $6.7 million signing bonus. In 2014 he was named Minor League Player of the Year by both USA Today and Baseball America.