Entering the last week of the season, Kris Bryant was leading Joey Gallo by two home runs. They were both in the race to win the Joe Bauman Home Run Award. Gallo recorded one more homer on Monday, but it was not enough. On Tuesday, it was announced that Bryant's 43 long balls was the Minor League's best, winning him the Joe Bauman Trophy and $200 for each home run he hit. Which adds up to $8,600 amounted in the form of a check.
The slugger was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of High School but did not sign. Instead, he decided to continue his baseball career at the University of San Diego which led to him being a first-round pick, second overall, in 2013 by the Chicago Cubs. Bryant signed with the Cubs on July 12, 2013.
Bryant has not been called up this season by the Cubs this season, however, there has been lots of talk lately of him being a late season call-up after Javier Baez and Jorge Soler have already contributed so much to the Cubs offensively and defensively. Bryant has hit 52 home runs since being drafted by the Cubs in the 2013 Draft.
The award, first given in 2002, is named for Joe Bauman, who set a record with 72 home runs in 1954, while playing for the Roswell Rockets of the Class-C Longhorn League.