Despite sizzling start, Bryant expected to open season in minors
Talking about his homecoming Friday at Cashman Field for Big League Weekend, Las Vegas native Kris Bryant belied the image of a burly slugger by saying one of the things he loves about being back home was seeing his cat, Wrigley.
“It’s awesome coming home,” said Bryant, a third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. “I love being around my family and seeing my grandparents and my cat that I love and miss so much.”
Despite his sizzling start to spring training, the 6-foot-5-inch Bryant — who leads the majors with four home runs — isn’t expected to see Wrigley Field until after the season starts.
“I have no clue at all, and that’s just the way I want it,” said Bryant, a Bonanza High School graduate. “I don’t like distractions. If I’m focusing on that, it’s just a big distraction for me and takes away from my play on the field.”
By keeping Bryant — rated baseball’s No. 1 prospect by Baseball America — in the minor leagues for about two weeks to start the season, the Cubs can keep him under their control for an extra year before he becomes a free agent, in 2021. If the 23-year-old opens the season with Chicago, he becomes a free agent after the 2020 season.
“It’s been a dream of mine to play in the big leagues. I’ll do everything I can in my power to help make that decision for them,” he said. “I’m trying to make it hard on them. I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that so far.”
That’s an understatement. Bryant entered Friday’s exhibition game against the Oakland Athletics batting .500 (7-for-14) with several tape-measure shots.
He hit his first homer March 7, then hit the third of three consecutive solo shots Monday — going back-to-back-to-back with fellow Cubs prospects Jorge Soler and Javier Baez — before belting two more and a ground-rule double Thursday against the Angels.
Bryant, who left tickets for more than 20 of his friends and family members for Friday’s game, went 0-for-4 as the designated hitter in a 5-3 win over the A’s in front of a crowd of 8,007.
“I’m not nervous at all,” he said before the game. “I guess it’s more stressful having to put everything together. I’m trying to make everybody happy and at the same time perform on the field.”
Performing on the field hasn’t been a problem for Bryant. In 2013, he led the nation in homers (31) at the University of San Diego and was drafted second by the Cubs, batting .336 with nine homers in 36 Rookie League and Single-A games before earning Arizona Fall League Most Valuable Player honors.
Last season, he homered in his first spring at-bat and went on to lead professional baseball in home runs with 43 — and 110 RBIs — between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa.
“What we like is he’s very consistent, his approach at the plate and his work ethic. All those little things that sustain a long big league career, he’s doing. Only time will tell,” said Dave Martinez, Chicago’s acting manager for the split-squad games in Las Vegas. “He’s got a very unique swing, so I can’t compare him to anybody. The only guy I’ve ever seen hit balls that high and travel that far is guys like (Mark) McGwire and Dave Kingman.”
Bryant is part of a power surge from Las Vegas with Texas Rangers prospect Joey Gallo (Bishop Gorman), Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper (Las Vegas High, College of Southern Nevada) and Houston Astros designated hitter Chris Carter (Sierra Vista), who was second in the American League in homers last season with 37.
“The climate here allows us to play every day of the year,” Bryant said. “Growing up here was really good for me. One year, I played 172 games. That was really good for my development.”
Bryant and Gallo — whose fathers are close friends and hitting instructors in Las Vegas — finished 1-2 in the minors in homers last season. The 6-5 Gallo hit 42 after belting 40 in 2013.
Bryant batted cleanup behind Harper for a season of club ball in Las Vegas when they were teenagers. If he continues his tear, Bryant might hit behind Harper again in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
“I haven’t really set my goals yet for the season, but I always do and they tend to be pretty lofty goals,” Bryant said. “I expect a lot out of myself. If you don’t expect a lot out of yourself, you shouldn’t be playing this game.
“I go out there every day and try to do something new and crazy, and I look forward to doing that this year.”
Cubs fans can’t wait.
■ NOTES — Jake Arrieta allowed one run in four innings and Tommy La Stella had three hits for the Cubs (2-8). … Max Muncy hit a towering two-run homer among his three hits for the A’s (7-4). … Chicago right-hander Kyle Hendricks and Oakland righty Jesse Hahn will start today’s 12:05 p.m. game.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow him on Twitter: @tdewey33.
