In exchange for P Andrew Cashner and OF Kyung-Min Na, the Chicago Cubs acquired Anthony Rizzo and P Zach Cates on January 6, 2012.
Hoyer, the Cubs’ GM, had traded for Rizzo for the second time in two years and indicated that he saw him as the team’s future first baseman, adding that LaHair, who had just been named PCL MVP, was the team’s first-choice first baseman for the upcoming season.
In his first 70 games with the Iowa Cubs, he batted .342 with 18 doubles and 23 home runs.
While LaHair was one of the most prolific Cubs hitters, the team was struggling and could not afford to retain Rizzo in the minor levels while he was hitting so well. On June 26, he was called up to the squad, replacing LaHair at first base.
He collected two hits, one of which was a double, as well as an RBI in his first game. Against the Houston Astros on June 30th, he blasted his first Cubs home run off J.A. Happ in a 3-2 victory.
The rest of the month of July saw him hit.330/.375/.567 with seven home runs and 17 RBI in 25 games, earning him National League Rookie of the Month recognition.
A walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning on July 29 against the St. Louis Cardinals rounded out his stellar month.
A member of the 2012 Topps All-Star Rookie Team, he batted.285, .343, and.463 in 87 games, driving in a career-high 48 runs with 15 home runs and 48 RBI.
What Nationality Is Anthony Rizzo?
Anthony Rizzo is American.