Kris Bryant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kris Bryant |
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Bryant with the Chicago Cubs in 2015
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| Colorado Rockies – No. 23 | |||
| Third baseman / Outfielder | |||
| Born: January 4, 1992 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 17, 2015, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) |
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| Batting average | .274 | ||
| Hits | 1,062 | ||
| Home runs | 184 | ||
| Runs batted in | 547 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Kristopher Lee Bryant (born January 4, 1992), also known as "KB", is an American professional baseball player. He plays as a third baseman and outfielder for the Colorado Rockies in Major League Baseball (MLB). Before joining the Rockies, he played for the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants.
Bryant was a star player in college at the University of San Diego. He won major awards like the Dick Howser Trophy and Golden Spikes Award in 2013. The Cubs picked him second overall in the 2013 Major League Baseball draft. He quickly became one of baseball's top young players.
He made his MLB debut in 2015. That year, he was named an MLB All-Star and won the National League's (NL) Rookie of the Year Award. In 2016, he became an All-Star again and helped the Cubs win the World Series. He was also named the NL's Most Valuable Player.
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Early Life and High School Baseball
Kris Bryant grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada. He played on the varsity baseball team all four years at Bonanza High School. During his high school career, he had a strong hitting average of .418. He also hit 47 home runs. In 2010, USA Today named him to their All-USA baseball first-team.
The Toronto Blue Jays picked Bryant in the 18th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft. However, he decided not to sign with them. Instead, he chose to go to the University of San Diego to play college baseball.
College Career Highlights
At the University of San Diego, Bryant continued to shine.
Freshman Year (2011)
As a freshman in 2011, Bryant had a .365 batting average and hit nine home runs. He was named a freshman All-American. He also shared the West Coast Conference (WCC) Co-Freshman of the Year and Co-Player of the Year awards.
Sophomore Year (2012)
In 2012, Bryant hit .366 with 14 home runs and 57 runs batted in (RBIs). He was again named first team All-WCC and a first-team All-American. That summer, he played for the U.S. college national team.
Junior Year and National Awards (2013)
During his junior year in 2013, Bryant led the entire nation with 31 home runs. This was the most home runs hit by a college player since 2011. He won the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy. These awards are given to the best college baseball player in the country. He was also named the Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year.
Professional Baseball Journey
Drafted by the Cubs and Minor League Success
In the 2013 Major League Baseball draft, Kris Bryant was considered one of the top players available. The Chicago Cubs chose him with the second overall pick. Many experts believed Bryant was the safest choice in the draft because of his strong hitting skills. He signed a contract with the Cubs for $6.7 million.
Bryant started his professional career in the minor leagues. He quickly moved up through the different levels. In 2014, he played for the Tennessee Smokies and the Iowa Cubs. He hit a combined 43 home runs that year, leading all minor league players. He won the USA Today Minor League Player of the Year and Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year awards. By 2015, Baseball America called him the number one prospect in baseball.
Before the 2015 season, Bryant had a great spring training, hitting nine home runs. However, the Cubs sent him back to the minor leagues for a short time. This was likely to gain an extra year of control over his contract in the future. After playing just seven games in the minors, he was called up to the major leagues.
Chicago Cubs (2015–2021)
2015 Season: Rookie of the Year
On April 17, 2015, Kris Bryant made his big league debut for the Cubs. He got his first hit the next day. On May 9, he hit his first major league home run. He finished May with seven home runs and was named the NL Rookie of the Month.
Bryant hit his first career grand slam on June 17. He was chosen to play in the All-Star Game as an injury replacement. He also took part in the Home Run Derby. On July 27, he hit his first walk-off home run, winning the game for the Cubs.
He ended his rookie season with a .275 batting average, 26 home runs, and 99 RBIs. His 99 RBIs were the most for a rookie since 2001. The Cubs made the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Bryant helped the Cubs win their first playoff series, but they lost in the next round. After the season, he won the Jackie Robinson National League Rookie of the Year Award by a unanimous vote.
2016 Season: NL MVP and World Series Champion
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In 2016, Bryant had an amazing season. On June 27, he made history by hitting three home runs and two doubles in one game. He was selected for his second straight All-Star Game and hit a home run in it.
Bryant led the National League with 121 runs scored. He also hit 39 home runs and had 102 RBIs. His stats were much better than his rookie year. The Cubs won their division and made it to the World Series. They came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Cleveland Indians. Bryant caught the final out of the game, helping the Cubs win their first championship in 108 years!
After the season, Bryant won the National League Most Valuable Player Award (MVP). He became the first player ever to win the Golden Spikes Award, Minor League Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and MVP in back-to-back seasons. He also won the Hank Aaron Award as the NL's best hitter.
Later Cubs Seasons (2017–2021)
In 2017, Bryant signed a record-setting contract for a player not yet eligible for salary arbitration. He finished the season with a .295 average, 29 home runs, and 73 RBIs. The Cubs won their division again, but lost in the playoffs.
In 2018, Bryant signed another record contract for a player in his first year of arbitration. He hit his 100th home run, becoming one of the fastest Cubs players to reach that mark. However, he spent time on the injured list due to a shoulder injury.
Bryant had a strong 2019 season, hitting 31 home runs and scoring 108 runs. He hit a walk-off home run on May 7 and three home runs in one game on May 18.
The 2020 season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bryant played in 34 games.
In 2021, Bryant played different positions, including first base and outfield, along with third base. He was selected as an All-Star for the fourth time. He hit .267 with 18 home runs and 51 RBIs for the Cubs before being traded.
San Francisco Giants (2021)
On July 30, 2021, the Cubs traded Bryant to the San Francisco Giants. He made his Giants debut on August 1, hitting a home run in his first game with the team. For the Giants, he batted .262 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs. He played various outfield and infield positions.
Colorado Rockies (2022–Present)
On March 18, 2022, Kris Bryant signed a big seven-year contract worth $182 million with the Colorado Rockies. He was announced as the team's starting left fielder.
Unfortunately, Bryant has faced several injuries during his time with the Rockies. In 2022, he played only 42 games due to back problems and a foot injury. In 2023, he missed three months with heel issues and a broken finger, playing in only 80 games. In 2024, he also spent time on the injured list with back and rib injuries.
Giving Back: Charitable Acts
Kris Bryant is also known for his charitable work.
In 2017, he teamed up with fellow baseball player Bryce Harper to help their hometown of Las Vegas. They supported relief efforts for victims of a shooting that happened at a music concert.
Bryant has been very involved with the Wings for Life Foundation since 2011. This group focuses on spinal cord research. He supports them because a friend of his, Cory Hahn, became paralyzed while playing college baseball.
In 2015, when Bryant won the NL Outstanding Rookie award, he chose to donate the $20,000 prize money to the Wounded Warrior Project. This organization helps injured service members and veterans.
Awards and Honors
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- ABCA College Player of the Year (2013)
- Baseball America College Player of the Year Award (2013)
- Baseball America Major League Rookie of the Year (2015)
- Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year (2014)
- Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year (2013)
- 2× College Baseball All-America Team (2012, 2013)
- Dick Howser Trophy (2013)
- Esurance MLB Award for Best Rookie (2015)
- Golden Spikes Award (2013)
- Joe Bauman Home Run Award (2014)
- 3× MLB All-Star (2015, 2016, 2019)
- MLB Player of the Month (August 2016)
- 2× MLB Rookie of the Month (May & August 2015)
- National League Hank Aaron Award (2016)
- National League Most Valuable Player (2016)
- National League Rookie of the Year (2015)
- Players Choice Award for NL Outstanding Rookie (2015)
- Sporting News National League Rookie of the Year (2015)
- USA Today Minor League Player of the Year Award (2014)
- World Series champion (2016)
Personal Life
Kris Bryant was a very good student in high school. He was named the salutatorian (the second-highest-ranking student) of his class. In college, he first studied biology before changing his major to finance.
Kris's father, Mike, also played minor league baseball. He even sold his patio furniture business so he could have more time to coach his son.
Kris Bryant grew up in Las Vegas with other future baseball stars like Bryce Harper and Joey Gallo. They started playing baseball together when they were nine years old.
Bryant proposed to his long-time girlfriend, Jessica Delp, in December 2015. They had known each other since they were 14. They got married on January 7, 2017. One of his teammates, Anthony Rizzo, was a groomsman at the wedding. Kris and Jessica have three sons: one born in April 2020, and twin boys born in July 2022. They live in the Denver area.
Images for kids
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Bryant playing for the Iowa Cubs in July 2014
See also
In Spanish: Kris Bryant para niños
- 2013 College Baseball All-America Team
- Chicago Cubs award winners and league leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
- List of people from Las Vegas
- List of University of San Diego people
