The surprise top pick in the 2012 amateur draft, Correa recalled how a few questioned whether he warranted that selection.
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A former Boise Hawks player has made it in the bigs.
“I think we’re in very similar situations in that we’re surrounded by a lot of young guys”, Bryant said. “I definitely exceeded my own expectations”.
The 23-year-old Bryant batted. 313 (122-390) with 22 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs, 51 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 99 games, becoming the first Indians rookie with at least 10 steals, 10 homers, 20 doubles, 100 hits and. Maddon – a two-time AL Manager of the Year with the Tampa Bay Rays – is a finalist along with Terry Collins (New York Mets) and Mike Matheny (St. Louis Cardinals). Everyone that’s been a huge support system for me for this whole season.
Correa edged out Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor receiving 17 first-place and 13-second place votes giving him 124 points total. Giants third baseman Matt Duffy finished second in the balloting while Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang finished third. Lindor got 13 first-place votes, 14 second-place votes and two third-place votes to finish with 109 points. Correa went No. 1 overall to Houston, but the Astros did the Cubs a favor the next year by passing on Bryant and taking pitcher Mark Appel.
Correa actually began the 2015 season at Double A, where he destroyed minor league pitching for a couple months, just as he’d done from about the time the Astros selected him with the top pick in 2012. The youngest position player in the major leagues, he turned 21 in September. He also won the NL’s Rookie of the Month twice and made it to the 2015 All-Star Game. Bryant was called up in mid-April and had an impact on the Cubs right away.
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Bryant and Correa each earned the major league minimum salary of $507,500.
