Kris Bryant Named Minor League Player of the Year

Mar 10, 2014; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman

prior to the game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Kris Bryant may want to add major league games to his ledger this September, but he’ll have to settle with just another accolade. On Tuesday, the Cubs mega-prospect was named by Baseball America as the Minor League Player of the Year for 2014.

The announcement comes as little surprise those around the game. In his first full professional season, Bryant posted a ridiculous .325/.438/.661 slash line across 138 games between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. His 43 home runs led all of minor league baseball and were the most hit in a minor league season since Ryan Howard knocked out 46 in 2004.

BA’s J.J. Cooper gave a glowing assessment of Bryant’s talents.

"“It didn’t stretch Bryant. He was leading the Southern League in most offensive categories in June, forcing a mid-season promotion to Triple-A. Bryant has yet to find the level that challenges him; he’s been the best around wherever he’s played the last three years.”“Even with power evaporating from the game, it’s Bryant’s hitting approach that is more notable. It’s hard to find a power hitter who can hit 25-30 home runs consistently. But a slugger who can hit for power and hit for average? That’s limited to the best players in the game.”"

Cooper actually seemed more impress with diligent work in batting practice, his aversion to meaningless displays of power

"“At the Futures Game in Minneapolis this July,Javier Baez reached the upper deck in left field during batting practice. Joey Gallo hit a ball that shattered a windshield and another that almost bounced out of the ballpark.Kennys Vargas, Hunter Renfroe, Jorge Alfaroand Michael Taylor all impressed with second-deck shots.”“Bryant hit some nice line drives to the right-field power alley. His batting practice was studious, it was professional and it was completely unmemorable.”“A plot of Bryant’s home runs looks like the spray from a sprinkler. They range from the foul pole in left field to the one in right. There’s not a lot of gaps left in between. The same disciplined approach Bryant uses in batting practice pays off in games; he is quite comfortable lining balls the other way.”"

And then there was this comparison.

"“Pull power will translate into lower averages and home runs,” Iowa hitting coach Brian Harper said. “The thing about Kris is he has more power the other way. He doesn’t get into pull mode. That’s the destruction of many young power hitters.”Iapoce says he’s coached one other hitter with a similar combination of power, hitting ability and a grinder’s mentality—Giancarlo Stanton.“You don’t see a guy like Bryant and Stanton do what they do in the minor leagues,” Iapoce said. “They pride themselves on being tough outs. When you pride yourself on being a tough out and you’re big and strong, it’s like hitting on a half field. Kris’s line drives go off the fence. Mishits can leave the yard.”"

The comparison to Stanton is not an undeserved one. The NL’s current home run king put up similar long ball totals to Bryant, and without the Adam Dunn like average and strikeout rates. He hit .321 with 21 home runs in just half a season in Double-A in 2010, a season he entered as the game’s #3 prospect, per BA. Bryant was #2 on their 2014 mid-season list.

Cooper notes that Bryant’s largest obstacle has been his glove-work at third, and that while he is working to improve there, scouts agree he  would also make a solid defensive right-fielder. Ultimately, it may not come down to Bryant’s capabilities. In Javier Baez, Starlin Castro, and Addison Russell, the Cubs currently have three shortstops to work onto the diamond. If none of them are traded, one would presumably move to third base, pushing Bryant into the outfield.

Fans, commentators, even Scott Boras, Bryant’s agent, were clamoring for the Cubs to reward Bryant’s strong season with a September or August call-up, as they did to Javier Baez and Jorge Soler. Cooper points out that Chicago’s refusal to promote Bryant is a vote of confidence for Bryant, as the team feels he will need less time to adjust to the big league pitching than Baez or Soler. He concedes that Bryant not being on the 40-man roster was also a factor, but neglects to mention the service time considerations that doubtless weighed into the decision. By keeping the 22 year old in the minors until the end of next April, the Cubs will be able to keep him from Free Agency for a full extra year.

Nevertheless, fans should take this award as another harbinger of future success. It puts Bryant in good company. Two years ago, Mike Trout was the honoree, and other past recipients include Josh Beckett, Joe Mauer,  Will Myers, Alex Gordon, and Jay Bruce. Go back even farther, and you’ll find the names Derek Jeter, Manny Ramirez, and Frank Thomas. Some winners, such as Joe Francis and Delmon Young, haven’t quite lived up to expectations. But since the award began in 1981, every winner has achieved some degree of major league success. Eight have gone on to earn rookie of the year honors.

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