Chicago Cubs players up for several regular season awards

Sep 23, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (17) throws out Milwaukee Brewers catcher Martin Maldonado (not pictured) during the third inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Kris Bryant: Rookie of the Year

At one point, the battle for National League Rookie of the Year was a two-horse race between Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson. Recently, other candidates have emerged, but Kris Bryant has left no doubt about his credentials for this award with his performances during the second half of the season.

The 23-year-old made his Major League debut on April, 17 2015, nine games into the Chicago Cubs season. The highly touted prospect has lived up to the hype that accompanied him to the Major Leagues. Overall, Bryant has slashed .277/.368/.492 this season with 26 home runs and 99 RBIs.

On Sept. 26, Bryant blasted his 26th home run of the season to pass Hall of Fame outfielder Billy Williams for the Chicago Cubs all-time rookie record in home runs. Way back on September 11, Bryant hit his 87th RBI of the season to pass catcher Geovany Soto and Billy Williams for the Cubs all-time rookie record in RBIs. According to baseball reference, Kris Bryant ranks 20th all-time in rookie RBIs in a single season.

A hitting adjustment that smoothed out his swing allowed Kris Bryant to elevate his game to the next level during the second half of the season. In the second half, he has slashed .285/.359/.513. Since the beginning of August, he has slashed .327/.398/.578 with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs.

At this point, it is Kris Bryant’s award to lose. With one game left in the season, opponents don’t have enough time to catch him.

Next: Joe Maddon