With 2016 coming to an end, here are 10 Little League graduates who took home major MLB awards this season, including those highlighting the season’s top stars and best moments that were voted on by baseball’s legends, media, front-office personnel, and fans.
Nolan Arenado – Colorado Rockies
Lake Forest (Calif.) Little League
2016 Awards Received:
- National League Silver Slugger (3B)
- National League Gold Glove (3B)
- Defensive Player of the Year (3B)
Nolan Arenado, a graduate of Lake Forest (Calif.) Little League, was awarded the National League Silver Slugger Award, National League Gold Glove Award, and the Defensive Player of the Year honors after an impressive season at third base for the Rockies. Since 2013, Mr. Arenado has led all third baseman in Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) with 84. A second-round pick in the 2009 draft, Mr. Arenado finished the 2016 season with a .294 batting average and .932 OPS after hitting 41 home runs and 133 RBI after playing in 160 games. Mr. Arenado has also announced in early November that he will be playing for Team USA in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Jake Arrieta – Chicago Cubs
Plano (Texas) Baseball Association Little League
2016 Awards Received:
Jake Arrieta, a graduate of Plano (Texas) Baseball Association Little League, earned his first-ever National League Silver Slugger award to snap Madison Bumgarner’s two-year run after helping to lead the Chicago Cubs to the franchise’s first World Series title in 108 years. Mr. Arrieta finished the 2016 season with a .262 batting average (17-for-65) at the plate after picking up a pair of doubles, a triple, two home runs and seven RBI while working four walks in 27 games played. Along with his performance at the plate, Mr. Arrieta posted an impressive 18-8 record with a 3.10 ERA in 197.1 innings of work for the Cubs on the mound.
Xander Bogaerts – Boston Red Sox
Aruba South Little League
2016 Awards Received:
Xander Bogaerts, a graduate of Aruba South Little League who also played in the 2009 Senior League Baseball World Series (SLBWS), earned his second-consecutive American League Silver Slugger Award after an impressive season at shortstop for the Boston Red Sox. Mr. Bogaerts finished the 2016 season fifth in the American League with 192 hits and sixth with 114 runs while also posting up a 26-game hitting streak.
Kris Bryant – Chicago Cubs
Peccole (Nev.) Little League
2016 Awards Received:
Kris Bryant, a graduate of Peccole (Nev.) Little League, was named the National League Most Valuable Player and the National League Hank Aaron Award winner after helping to lead the Chicago Cubs to the franchise’s first World Series title in 108 years. With the MVP award, Mr. Bryant becomes the first-ever player to win the Golden Spikes Award (presented to the top collegiate player), the Minor League Player of the Year, the MLB Rookie of the Year, and MLB MVP honors in four consecutive seasons, proving the young star is a once in a lifetime superstar. In 2016, Mr. Bryant finished the year with a .292 average after hitting 39 home runs, 35 doubles, 102 RBIs, and 121 runs scored in 155 games and was also featured on the cover of Little League Magazine.
Brandon Crawford – San Francisco Giants
Pleasonton (Calif.) Little League
2016 Awards Received:
Brandon Crawford, a graduate of Pleasonton (Calif.) Little League, was named a National League Gold Glove winner and the Defensive Player of the Year at shortstop after a stellar defensive season that earned the San Francisco Giants the Defensive Team of the Year honors in 2016. Mr. Crawford took home his second Defensive Player of the Year honor after leading all MLB shortstops in Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) with 20 and Ultimate Zone Rating with 21.3.
Rajai Davis – Cleveland Indians
Willimantic (Conn.) Little League
2016 Awards Received:
Rajai Davis, a graduate of Willimantic (Conn.) Little League, was awarded the Best Postseason Moment in 2016 thanks to his memorable game-tying two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. Mr. Davis also finished the 2016 season as the American League leader in stolen bases with 43.
Curtis Granderson – New York Mets
Lynwood (Ill.) Little League
2016 Awards Received:
Curtis Granderson, a graduate of Lynwood and Lansing (Ill.) Little Leagues, was named the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award and the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award thanks to his commitment and dedication to charity and the community. Over the years, Mr. Granderson has held clinics in Chicago, New York, and Florida, served as a philanthropic icon in the community, and has provided continued support for inner-city youth.
Zack Greinke – Arizona Diamondbacks
Conway Little League (Orlando, Fla.)
2016 Awards Received:
Zack Greinke, a graduate of Conway Little League in Orlando, Fla., was named a National League Gold Glove Award winner and the Defensive Player of the Year on the mound after a solid year for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2016. This year marked the third career Gold Glove for Mr. Greinke who finished the year ranked first with an Inside Edge rating of 16.6, tied for second with a Defensive Runs Saved of 7, and second with a Range Factor of 2.7.
Kenley Jansen – Los Angeles Dodgers
Pabao Little League (Willemstad, Curacao)
2016 Awards Received:
Kenley Jansen, a graduate of Pabao Little League in Willemstad, Curacao who also played in the 2003 Senior League Baseball World Series (SLBWS), was named the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year after a dominating performance as the closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mr. Jansen led all MLB relievers with a .150 batting-average against and a 0.67 WHIP, posted a National League-leading 9.45 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and finished second in the National League with 47 saves to help the Dodgers win their fourth consecutive NL West title.
Anthony Rizzo – Chicago Cubs
Parkland (Fla.) Little League
2016 Awards Received:
- National League Silver Slugger (1B)
- National League Gold Glove (1B)
- Defensive Player of the Year (1B)
- Best Social Media Personality
- Best Play (Defense): Wall-Climbing Snag
- MLB World Series Champion
Anthony Rizzo, a graduate of Parkland (Fla.) Little League, earned a variety of postseason awards in 2016 after helping to lead the Chicago Cubs to the franchise’s first World Series title in 108 years. Not only was he a dominant force both at the plate and in the field to earn the National League Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards as well as the Defensive Player of the Year Award, but Mr. Rizzo was a fan favorite in 2016 as he took home the Best Social Media Personality Award as voted on by Baseball’s legends, media, front-office personnel, and fans. Along with securing the final out in the 2016 World Series, Anthony Rizzo’s memorable wall-climbing snag on August 16 earned him the Best Defensive Play of the year honor.