| Kris Bryant | |
|---|---|
 Bryant with theChicago Cubs in 2015 | |
| Colorado Rockies – No. 23 | |
| Third baseman /Outfielder /Designated hitter | |
| Born: (1992-01-04)January 4, 1992 (age 33) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 17, 2015, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Batting average | .273 |
| Hits | 1,068 |
| Home runs | 184 |
| Runs batted in | 548 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Kristopher Lee Bryant (born January 4, 1992), nicknamed "KB",[1] is an American professional baseballthird baseman,outfielder, anddesignated hitter for theColorado Rockies ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for theChicago Cubs andSan Francisco Giants.
Bryant attended theUniversity of San Diego, where he playedcollege baseball for theToreros. He was named anAll-American in 2012 and 2013, and won theDick Howser Trophy andGolden Spikes Award in 2013. The Cubs selected him with the second overall pick in the2013 MLB draft, and he quickly became one of the top prospects, winning theUSA Today Minor League Player of the Year Award andBaseball America Minor League Player of the Year Award in 2014.
Bryant made his major league debut in 2015. He was named anMLB All-Star and won theNational League's (NL)Rookie of the Year Award. He was again named an All-Star in 2016, won aWorld Series championship with the Cubs, and was named theNL's Most Valuable Player. The Cubs traded him to the Giants in 2021, and he then signed a seven-year contract with the Rockies prior to the 2022 season.
Bryant attendedBonanza High School in theLas Vegas Valley. Playingbaseball for the school'svarsity team all four years, he recorded a .418batting average, a .958slugging percentage (SLG), 103hits, and 47 careerhome runs. He also playedAmerican Legion Baseball.[2]USA Today named him to theirAll-USA baseball first-team in 2010.[3] TheToronto Blue Jays selected Bryant in the 18th round of the2010 Major League Baseball draft. He did not sign, and enrolled at theUniversity of San Diego, to playcollege baseball for theSan Diego Toreros baseball team.[4]
As a freshman at the University of San Diego in 2011, Bryant had a .365batting average, a .482on-base percentage (OBP), and a .599 SLG, with nine home runs. He was named a freshmanAll-American byLouisville Slugger[5] and theWest Coast Conference (WCC) Co-Freshman of the Year and Co-Player of the Year, sharing both honors withMarco Gonzales.[3][6] Following his freshman season at San Diego, Bryant playedcollegiate summer baseball for theChatham Anglers of theCape Cod Baseball League, where he batted 29-for-130 (.223) with three home runs and 16runs batted in (RBIs).[7][8]
As a sophomore in 2012, Bryant batted .366 with a .671 SLG, 14 home runs, and 57 RBIs. He was again named first team All-WCC and he was also named a first-team All-American byBaseball America.[9] That summer, Bryant was selected byUSA Baseball to play for theUnited States collegiate national team.[10]
In the 2013 season as a junior, Bryant hit 31 home runs to lead the nation. Bryant had the most home runs hit by a college player since the NCAA switched to aBBCOR composite bat in 2011. Bryant broke the previous record of 30 set by Georgia Southern'sVictor Roache in 2011[11][12] and amounted to more home runs than 223 of 296Division I teams hit that season.[13] Bryant won theGolden Spikes Award[14] and theDick Howser Trophy, which are both awarded to the top collegiate player in the nation.[15][16] He was also named aLouisville Slugger First Team All-American, theCollegiate Baseball Player of the Year, and theAmerican Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Player of the Year.[17][18]
Bryant was considered to be one of the best available players in the2013 Major League Baseball draft.[3][19][20] TheHouston Astros, who had thefirst overall pick,scouted Bryant.[21] Bryant believed he would be chosen by theColorado Rockies, who had the third selection of the draft.[22]
After the Astros selected pitcherMark Appel with the first overall selection, theChicago Cubs chose Bryant with the second pick.[23] This choice was surprising as the Cubs were expected to select a pitcher.[22] The Cubs later acknowledged that they would have selected Appel had he still been available.[24] Many baseball executives and scouts agreed that Bryant was the safest pick in the draft. He was also rated as the best hitter in the draft because of his abilitieshitting for power andmaking contact on insidefastballs as well as down-and-awaycurveballs.[25] Bryant and the Cubs came to terms on a contract with a $6.7 millionsigning bonus two days prior to the signing deadline.[26]
Bryant began his professional career inClass A-Short Season with theBoise Hawks of theNorthwest League, where he batted .354 with four home runs. He was promoted toClass A-Advanced with theDaytona Cubs of theFlorida State League on August 12.[27] He hit .333 with five home runs for Daytona.[28] After the season, he played inArizona Fall League (AFL). He was named co-player of the week, along withMitch Haniger, in the first week of the fall league season.[29] He was named the MVP of the AFL after hitting .364/.457/.727 with six home runs in 20 games.[30]
Bryant started 2014 inClass AA with theTennessee Smokies of theSouthern League. In June, he won the Home Run Derby and participated in the All-Star game.[31] On June 18, the Cubs promoted Bryant toClass AAA with theIowa Cubs of thePacific Coast League after batting .355 with 22 home runs and 58 RBIs in 68 games with Tennessee.[32] He played in theAll-Star Futures Game in July.[33] At the end of the regular season, Bryant's 43 combined home runs between Tennessee and Iowa won him theJoe Bauman Home Run Award.[34] Bryant was named theUSA Today Minor League Player of the Year andBaseball America Minor League Player of the Year.[35][36]Baseball America named him the No. 1 prospect in 2015.[37]
Bryant was invited to spring training by the Cubs in 2015. In 40 at-bats, he hit nine home runs, which led all players. He had a .425 with a .477 on-base percentage and a 1.175 slugging percentage.[38] Despite his performance, the Cubs elected to send Bryant back down to Iowa. Baseball analysts assumed that theservice-time rules in baseball were the majority influence on the team's decision; if Bryant were to play 12 days in the minors before being promoted to the majors, the Cubs would receive another year of club control. The MLBPA issued a statement saying, "Today is a bad day for baseball".[39] In seven games with the Iowa, Bryant hit three home runs and batted .321.[38]
On April 17, 2015, Bryant was called up to the majors by the Cubs.[40][41] He made his debut that day atWrigley Field, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.[42] The next day at Wrigley, Bryant recorded his first hit, an RBI single.[43] Bryant hit his first major league home run on May 9, offMilwaukee Brewers'Kyle Lohse. His second home run came two days later at Wrigley Field against theNew York Mets offJacob deGrom.[44][45] Bryant finished the month of May with a .265 batting average, seven home runs, 22 RBIs, and 16 walks, and was named the NLRookie of the Month for May.[46]
Bryant's first careergrand slam came on June 17 in the ninth inning offDavid Murphy in a 17–0 win against theCleveland Indians.[47] In a July 4 game against theMiami Marlins, Bryant hit both a two-run home run and his second grand slam of the season offJarred Cosart. This made him the second Cubs rookie to hit two grand slams sinceBilly Williams in1961.[48] Bryant was selected as an injury replacement selection forGiancarlo Stanton on the National League roster of theAll-Star Game inCincinnati,Ohio. He also participated in theHome Run Derby.[49] On July 25, against thePhiladelphia Phillies, Bryant flew out at thewarning track for the last out ofCole Hamels'no-hitter.[50] On July 27, Bryant hit his first careerwalk-off home run, a two-run shot, offJohn Axford in a 9–8 win over theColorado Rockies.[51]
On September 6, against theArizona Diamondbacks, Bryant hit a 495-foot (151 m) home run, the longest of the 2015 MLB season, offRubby De La Rosa.[52] With the home run, Bryant tied Williams (1961) andGeovany Soto (2008), for the Cubs' franchise single-season RBI record forrookies with 86. On September 11, he broke the record by driving in a run with a double.[53] On September 22, Bryant passed Williams for the most home runs by a Cubs rookie, with 26.[54]
In 151 games of his first season in the Majors, Bryant batted .275 with 26 home runs, 31 doubles, and 99 RBIs, which were the most for a rookie sinceAlbert Pujols's 130 for theSt. Louis Cardinals in 2001. Bryant struck out 199 times, which led the National League and set a new rookie record. He had the lowest contact percentage on his swings in the major leagues (66.3%).[55] According to sales on Major League Baseball's official website, Bryant had the best-selling jersey in all of baseball during the 2015 regular season.[56]
With the Cubs finishing the season, 97–65, the team clinched aWild Card spot in theMLB postseason, their first playoff berth in seven years.[57] Despite Bryant not having any hits in the2015 National League Wild Card Game, the Cubs shut out thePittsburgh Pirates, 4–0, and advanced to the2015 National League Division Series (NLDS) where, in Game 3, Bryant hit a two-run home run against the rivalSt. Louis Cardinals to help the Cubs to an 8–6 win.[58] The Cubs won the series-winning three-games-to-one, but lost to theNew York Mets in the2015 National League Championship Series (NLCS) in a four-game sweep. Bryant was named theBaseball AmericaRookie of the Year for the 2015 season, making him the first in history to win theBaseball America college player, minor league player, and major league rookie of the year awards in successive seasons.[59] He was voted the"Esurance MLB Awards" Best Rookie – by fans, the media, former players, team front-office personnel, and theSociety for American Baseball Research (SABR).[60] Bryant won theSporting NewsRookie of the Year Award for theNational League, becoming the first Cub to earn it since Soto in 2008.[61] Further, he was the unanimous winner from theBaseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) of theJackie Robinson National LeagueRookie of the Year Award, becoming the 11th National League player to win by a unanimous vote and the 20th player overall.[62] He was also named by his fellow players as the"Players Choice Awards" National League Outstanding Rookie.[63]
After the 2015 season, Bryant filed a grievance against the Cubs for delaying his call-up to the majors for the purpose of delaying his free agency, accusing the team ofservice time manipulation.[64] About the grievance Bryant said, "For me it’s just important to continue to go out there and do what I do, so that I can help the team in any way possible in where we’re at today," Bryant added, "It's just important for me to not even worry about it right now because it takes away from so much of what we have going this year. And that was last year’s news."[65] As of April 2017[update], the grievance had yet to reach a hearing.[66] The grievance was finally heard in January 2020, with the arbitrator ruling against Bryant.[67]
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The Cubs gave Bryant a $652,000 salary for the 2016 season, a 38% increase over his rookie salary.[68] On June 27, 2016, against theCincinnati Reds, Bryant became the first MLB player in modern history to hit three home runs and two doubles in the same game; he was 5-for-5 overall with 16 total bases in the 11–8 win.[69] After leading the National League with 25 home runs in the first half of the season, he was selected to his second consecutiveAll-Star Game, and first as the starting third baseman. He hit a first-inning home run offChris Sale of theChicago White Sox, his first career home run in an All-Star Game.[70] In the opening game of a late August series against theNational League West-division-leadingLos Angeles Dodgers, Bryant hit an eighth-inning home run to tie the game and the winning two-run home run in the 10th inning for a 6–4 victory.[71]
From the All-Star Break to the start of September, Bryant had a batting average of .346. On August 18, he became the second player in major league history to record five hits and five RBIs in two games in one season, joining1945 MVPPhil Cavarretta of the Cubs.[72] In August, as the Cubs went 22–6, Bryant batted .383, 1.220 OPS, 10 home runs, 22 RBI, and 29 runs scored. He was named the National LeaguePlayer of the Month for August, his first Player of the Month award.[73] Overall, he led the league with 121 runs scored and 7.7Wins Above Replacement (WAR) perBaseball-Reference.com, and finished third with 39 home runs and 334 total bases and fourth with a .554 slugging percentage and .939 OPS. He also batted .292 and drove in 102 runs. In each of those categories, Bryant's statistics represented improvements over his rookie season totals.[72] He was 9th in the NL with 154 strikeouts.[74]
The Cubs won theNational League Central division title.[75] Bryant recorded hits in all four games against theSan Francisco Giants in the2016 NLDS. With the Cubs trailing 5–3 in the ninth inning of Game 3, Bryant hit a two-run home run againstSergio Romo, helping send the game to extra innings, though the Giants would prevail in 13.[76] In Game 4 with the Cubs down 5–2, Bryant singled to start a four-run rally in the top of the 9th, scoring on a double byBen Zobrist, as the Cubs advanced to the2016 NLCS.[77] The Cubs then won the National League pennant—for the first time since1945—by defeating theLos Angeles Dodgers, 4-games-to-2. In theWorld Series, the Cubs came back from a 3-games-to-1 deficit and defeated theCleveland Indians. Bryant fielded the last ball of the 2016 season and threw to first basemanAnthony Rizzo, which completed their first championship victory after a108-year-long drought.[78] During the 2016 postseason, Bryant hit for a .308 average with three home runs and eight RBIs.[79]
Bryant concluded the 2016 season by winning the National LeagueMost Valuable Player Award (MVP) in his second year in the major leagues.[72] He became the first player to win a Golden Spikes Award, aBaseball America Minor League Player of the Year Award, a Rookie of the Year Award, and a Most Valuable Player Award in successive seasons.[80] In addition, he became the sixth player in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year and MVP within his first two seasons, joiningFred Lynn (both in 1975),Cal Ripken Jr. (1982–83),Ichiro Suzuki (both in 2001),Ryan Howard (2005–06), andDustin Pedroia (2007–08).[72] Bryant also won theHank Aaron Award as the National League's most outstanding hitter.[81]
Bryant and the Cubs agreed to a $1.05 million contract before the 2017 season,[82] a new record salary for a pre-arbitration player, previously held byMike Trout of theLos Angeles Angels who earned $1 million in 2014.[83]
In 2017, Bryant finished second in fan voting toNolan Arenado of theColorado Rockies as the starting NL third baseman in the2017 All-Star Game.[84] He finished second in theAll-Star Final Vote, behindJustin Turner, and did not make the All-Star team.[85] Following the All Star Break, on July 25, Bryant was ejected for the first time in his major league career after arguing a third strike call.[86] That August, MLB and the MLBPA introducedPlayers Weekend for the first time. Bryant chose to wear "KB" on his jersey.[87] Finishing the regular season with a .295 average, 29 home runs, and 73 RBIs,[88] the Cubs won their second consecutive Central Division title and earned their third consecutive appearance in the postseason.[89] The Cubs defeated the Washington Nationals in the2017 NLDS, with Bryant batting .200 in the series without a home run.[90] The Cubs lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the2017 NLCS.[91] Bryant batted .200 with one home run in the NLCS.[92]
In his first year ofsalary arbitration, Bryant and the Cubs agreed to a $10.85 million salary for the2018 season, breaking the record for a player in his first year of salary arbitration, previously held byRyan Howard when he signed a $10 million contract in 2008 with thePhiladelphia Phillies.[93] In February,Sports Illustrated ranked Bryant as the third-overall best player in baseball, trailingMike Trout andJose Altuve.[94] In a May 9 game against theMiami Marlins, Bryant hit his 100th home run, becoming the 22nd Cubs player to reach the mark, and the quickest to reach the mark. He hit his 100th home run in his 487th game, barely eclipsing the previous mark of 500 games set byErnie Banks.[95] On June 26, Bryant was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his MLB career due to left shoulder inflammation, retroactive three days prior.[96] On July 26, Bryant went back on the disabled list due to inflammation on the same shoulder.[97]
Bryant had a slow start to 2019. After hitting a home run in the first regular season game against theTexas Rangers,[98] his batting average through April 25 was .232, with a .730 on-base plus slugging percentage.[99] Bryant's performance substantially improved heading into mid May. He hit seven home runs over the course of fifteen games,[100] including a walk-off, three-run home run against theMiami Marlins on May 7.[101] On May 18, Bryant hit three home runs in three consecutive innings in a game against the Washington Nationals. His 4-for-6 night extended his career-best on-base streak to 26 games.[102]
Bryant finished the 2019 season hitting .282/.382/.521 with 31 home runs, 77 runs batted in, and 108 runs scored. On defense, he had the lowestfielding percentage of all major league third basemen (.947).[103]
In the 2020COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season, Bryant batted .206/.293/.351 with four home runs and 11 RBIs in 131 at-bats in 34 games.[104]
Bryant in the 2021 season for the Cubs playedfirst base (12 games) andoutfield (63 games), along withthird (29 games), due to the rise ofPatrick Wisdom at third base.[105] He was selected as anAll-Star as he hit .267/.358/.503 with 58 runs, 18 home runs, and 51 RBIs throughout 93 games and 326 at bats with the Cubs.[106]
On July 30, 2021, the Cubs traded Bryant to theSan Francisco Giants in exchange for prospectsAlexander Canario andCaleb Kilian.[107] On August 1, Bryant made his Giants debut. He played third base and went 1-for-4 with a home run in the third inning.[108]
In the 2021 season, playing for the Giants Bryant batted .262/.344/.444 with 28 runs, seven home runs, and 22 RBIs in 187 at bats, as he stole six bases in six attempts.[104] He played 26 games at third base, 19 games in left field, 11 games in right field, and 5 games in center field.[104]
On March 18, 2022, Bryant signed a seven-year contract worth $182 million with theColorado Rockies.[109] It reportedly included a fullno-trade clause.[110] The Rockies quickly announced that he would be the club's starting left fielder.[111]
The deal, completed at a time when the Rockies would not be a serious contender in the following season after tradingNolan Arenado and not re-signingTrevor Story, came as a surprise.[112][113] Sports journalistBuster Olney stated, "On a scale of 1 to 10, the industry shock over the Rockies' deal with Kris Bryant has been turned up to 11."[114][115]
Bryant has missed significant time due to injury during his time with Colorado. He played only 42 games in 2022, with a back issue causing over two months on two separate IL stints, and the last two months of the 2022 season lost due toplantar fasciitis and abone bruise in his right foot.[116] That season, he slashed .306/.376/.475 with five home runs in 160 at-bats.[117]
In 2023, Bryant missed three months of the season, playing in only 80 games, with heel issues and then a broken finger from aJohnny Cueto pitch.[118] He finished the season with a .233/.313/.367 slashline that included 10 home runs in 300 at-bats.[119]
Before the 2024 MLB season, Bryant toldThe Athletic that he wished he had taken more time to evaluate the Rockies' upcoming minor league prospects and the team's near-term inability to compete before he signed the seven-year deal.[120]
Bryant went on to play in 13 games before going on the injured list with a low back strain.[121] He was activated from the injured list on May 21,[122] after missing 31 games, and played until June 2 before being put onto the injured list again on June 6 with a lower rib contusion.[123] He finished 2024 with a .218/.323/.301 slashline that included two home runs in 133 at-bats.[124]
Shortly thereafter, a sports columnist for theDenver Post opined that Bryant's contract was the worst in baseball.[125]
On April 14, 2025, Bryant was placed on the 10-day injured list due to his battles with lumbardegenerative disc disease.[126] Despite this setback and chronic back issues, Bryant states he has no plan to retire.[127] He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 11.[128]
In 2017, Bryant teamed up with Bryce Harper to help their hometown of Las Vegas in relief efforts assisting victims ofa shooting at a music concert that left 58 people dead.[129] Bryant and Harper used their platform to encourage people to donate to help Las Vegas with relief of the shooting.[129][130]
On Players Weekend in 2017,[131] Bryant chose to wear three different cleats which promoted the Wings for Life Foundation, a non-profit organization that specializes in spinal cord research. Bryant has been heavily involved in this organization ever since 2011 when a friend of his, Cory Hahn, was paralyzed while a freshman playing baseball at Arizona State.[citation needed]
In 2015, Bryant was awarded 2015 NL Outstanding Rookie from the Player Choice Awards.[132] He chose to send the $20,000 from the Major League Baseball Players Trust to the Wounded Warrior Project.[133]
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Bryant was named his high school'ssalutatorian, but allowed a classmate to take the role instead when he found out how badly she wanted it.[17] In college, hemajored inbiology before switching tofinance.[3]
Bryant's father, Mike, played inminor league baseball for theBoston Red Sox organization.[3][137] Mike owned a patio furniture store but sold it in order to get a job that permitted him to coach his son.[138]
Bryant and fellow baseball playersBryce Harper andJoey Gallo grew up as acquaintances in theLas Vegas area and began playing baseball with each other at the age of 9. Bryant and Harper's friendly competition was displayed in the May 2015 series against theWashington Nationals atWrigley Field, when they greeted each other for the first time in the Major Leagues.[139]
Bryant proposed to long-time girlfriend Jessica Delp in December 2015. They both grew up in Las Vegas and had dated since they were 14.[140] They were married on January 7, 2017, with one of the groomsmen being Bryant's teammate,Anthony Rizzo. They have three children: a son who was born in April 2020;[141] and twin boys who were born on July 11, 2022.[142] They reside in the Denver area.[143]
On the first day the Cubs opened their left-fieldbleachers after construction delays, Bryant was the first player to hit a home run into the new seats. Two weeks later, he became the first player to hit the new video board in left field.
| Awards and achievements | ||
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| Preceded by | National League Player of the Month August 2016 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
