Kris Bryant: MLB's Next Great Power Hitter

Chicago Cubs rookie, Kris Bryant, is looking to make noise in Major League Baseball this season. Baseball fans want to see highlights produced by stars, and Bryant is capable of just that. Baseball has seen a decline in popularity due to the recent lack of home run totals. In order for baseball to regain popularity among sports fans, transcendent power hitting talent must emerge.

Kris Bryant has the capability of joining Giancarlo Stanton and Mike Trout in being the most exciting players in baseball. Bryant, a third baseman and second overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, has put on a fantastic display of home run power in spring training just a few months after finishing a minor league season hitting 43 home runs. This spring alone, Bryant has posted 9 home runs and 15 RBI. 

What should the fans expect of Kris Bryant this season?

Bryant will likely spend the first two weeks of the MLB regular season back at the triple-A level in order for the Cubs to keep him with the club for seven seasons before reaching free agency. Though this means that Bryant is going to miss a few games in the first month of the season, he should start enough games following his call up to post and plate appearance numbers close to those posted by other everyday MLB starters.

Bryant's raw power should allow him to reach the 30 home run crest this season. His power is the most sure thing about his game. Bryant has struggled significantly on reducing his strikeout totals in the minor leagues, but his walk rate is high which indicates he is a selective hitter. Nevertheless, Bryant's strikeout rate being higher than 25 percent in the upper levels of the Cubs' minor league system is definitely concerning.

Bryant compares similarly to Giancarlo Stanton with both his size and ability to hit for power. Both players stand tall and athletic with the strength to be able to drive the ball to all fields. This spring, Bryant has shown a shorter swing path to the ball compared to Stanton's swing. This part of Bryant's game raises his ceiling of potential higher than Stanton's was at this point in his career. However, Bryant has yet to prove himself against legitimate MLB competition. 

Adding Kris Bryant to the mix of an already strong, young team in a big market like Chicago will help to make baseball more popular. Bryant's ability should complement teammate, and rising star, Anthony Rizzo on the path toward an ever elusive World Series title.

Pre-Season MLB Predictions

Baseball's most burning question this pre-season is who will make the playoffs and win the World Series. Multiple teams made major off-season moves to better their chances of winning a World Series.

Baseball is unbelievably unpredictable, and there are billions of different ways a season can come out. That being said, here are my nearly worthless playoff and World Series picks for the 2015 season.

AL East: Boston Red Sox
With the acquisitions of Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval, the Red Sox will dominate all hitting statistical categories. This year's AL East is the weakest in years, especially since the Yankees will pose no threat, and the Rays lost mastermind manager, Joe Maddon.
AL Central: Detroit Tigers
The Tigers added powerful Cuban, Yoenis Cespedes to their 2015 roster this off-season. Cespedes has played on 3 teams in less than a year. Verlander will return to his sub-4.00 ERA form to create a nearly unbeatable one-two punch with David Price and lead the Tigers to an AL Central crown in the closest division race in baseball
AL West: Los Angeles Angels
This season's AL West race will be much closer than last year's when the Angels ran away with it. The Angels will still take the AL West crown despite a potential Josh Hamilton suspension. Mike Trout will continue to prove he is the most valuable player, leading the Angels to the best record in the American League.
AL Wild Cards: Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians
NL East: Washington Nationals
The Nationals got their cake this off-season and will eat it all year too. Max Scherzer will continue to put up Cy Young quality numbers along side four other aces. With one of the strongest rotations in baseball history, expect a 100+ win season for the Nats. Bryce Harper will have his best season yet if he remains healthy, and Antony Rendon will be a breakout offensive force as well.
NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals
A healthy Yadier Molina and a strong outfield addition in Jason Heyward gives the Cardinals the edge in the NL Central. The Cardinals' biggest downfall this season is their pitching rotation. The Cards haven't had to deal with a shallow rotation in a long time, but their more powerful lineup will carry them to the playoffs once again.
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers may be threatened by a new-looking Padres team and defending champions Giants in their division, but their regular-season dominance will continue thanks to one of the best line-ups top to bottom and the reigning Cy Young, Clayton Kershaw.
NL Wild Cards: Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres

World Series: The Washington Nations will run away with this year's World Series over the Los Angeles Angels. Both of these teams will have the best regular season records, and will roll over everyone all the way until the World Series. A rotation as deep as the Nationals' will be impossible to beat in a 7-game series. The Nationals will have the most dominant regular-season and post-season in MLB history.