Fansided

MLB Power Rankings: Top 25 players in the game today

By Joshua Sadlock

ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 02: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts to his solo homerun for a 1-1 tie with the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Angel Stadium on May 2, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 02: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts to his solo homerun for a 1-1 tie with the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Angel Stadium on May 2, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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21 APRIL 2018: Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (17) bats during a regular season Major League Baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
21 APRIL 2018: Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (17) bats during a regular season Major League Baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

4. Kris Bryant

College player of the year, second overall pick, NL Rookie of the Year, NL MVP, World Series champion. Yep — it’s safe to say that the baseball career of Kris Bryant has gone exactly according to plan. The 26-year-old third baseman has checked off every box imaginable as he enters his fourth season in the big leagues, and he might actually still be getting better.

The controversy surrounding the Chicago Cubs decision to hold Bryant down in the minor leagues for a few weeks to delay the start of his service time is but an ancient memory.

From the moment he joined the Cubs, Bryant has played with the confidence and maturity of a 10-year veteran. He will top 100 home runs at some point in the next few weeks and is making progress on carrying a .300/.400/.500 line for an entire season. Blessed with incredible plate discipline, Bryant’s strikeouts have trended down every year since his rookie season to the point where he has more walks than punchouts so far this season.

There are more MVPs, All-Star Games and World Series titles in the future for Kris Bryant, and if he plays his entire career in Chicago, he may very well surpass Ernie Banks as the most beloved Cub in team history.

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