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No. 2 pick Bryant awarded Dick Howser Trophy

Cubs draftee led nation in homers, runs, walks and slugging percentage

University of San Diego third baseman Kris Bryant, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft by the Cubs, was presented with the Dick Howser Trophy on Saturday.

The award, in its 27th year of being presented by the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, is voted on by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and given to the player who best represents courage, character, leadership and performance.

"This summer keeps getting better for me," Bryant said. "What an honor. Hearing what they said about Mr. Howser, this has got to be one of the greatest trophies I've won in my life."

Other finalists included Vanderbilt second baseman Tony Kemp (No. 137 overall to the Astros), North Carolina third baseman Colin Moran (No. 6, Marlins), Stanford right-hander Mark Appel (No. 1, Astros) and Vanderbilt right-hander Tyler Beede (sophomore).

The 20-year-old Bryant hit .329 for San Diego during his junior season, leading the nation in home runs (31), runs scored (80), walks (66) and slugging percentage (.820).

Bryant also has won the Collegiate Baseball and Louisville Slugger Awards and is a finalist for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award.

"You saw the stats and we're rattling off all the OPS and slugging and everything else, and that's all great," San Diego coach Rich Hill said. "The chapters are going to be written on him for years to come, but the character is off the charts, and the leadership and the courage. There's one thing that sticks out: sacrifice. He works really hard and wants to be the best. That and everything else makes him very special."

Howser's daughter, Jana, announced Bryant as the winner and had previously informed Hill that the third baseman had won the award.

"I told her you could not have gotten a better guy for this award than Kris Bryant," Hill said. "He's everything that this award represents and your dad, if he were here today, he'd be sticking his chest out and dripping with pride to have his name on that trophy with him."

Howser was a two-time All-American shortstop and longtime coach at Florida State. He also was an eight-year Major League veteran and manager of the 1985 World Series champion Royals.

Recent winners of the trophy include Mariners catcher Mike Zunino ('12), Brewers prospect Taylor Jungmann ('11), Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon ('10), Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg ('09), Giants catcher Buster Posey ('08) and Rays left-hander David Price ('07).

Cash Kruth is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @cashkruth.
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