Anthony Rizzo

Anthony Vincent Rizzo (born August 8, 1989) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons, primarily for the Chicago Cubs and was pivotal in the team's 2016 World Series victory. Rizzo is a 3-time All-Star, and is the recipient of a Silver Slugger Award, 4 Gold Glove Awards, and a Roberto Clemente Award. A survivor of Hodgkin's lymphoma, Rizzo is also notable for his philanthropic endeavors, having started the Anthony Rizzo Foundation which partners with Lurie Children's Hospital. Rizzo won the Heart & Hustle Award in 2015.

Rizzo made his MLB debut in 2011 with the San Diego Padres before being traded to the Cubs in 2012. He developed into an All-Star player and spent 10 seasons with the Cubs before being traded to the Yankees in 2021. Rizzo played with the Yankees for 3 seasons through 2024, his final World Series appearance and professional season. Considered a Cubs icon, Rizzo retired at Wrigley Field in 2025 and rejoined the team in an ambassador role.

The Boston Red Sox selected Rizzo out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in the sixth round of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft. He was heading for Florida Atlantic University before he was drafted and signed, with a $325,000 signing bonus. Rizzo played in the Red Sox organization with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, Greenville Drive, Salem Red Sox and the Portland Sea Dogs. Rizzo's minor league career started at the age of 17 in 2007 in the rookie class with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. In only 21 at bats, he hit .286/.375/.429 with 1 home run and 3 RBIs. In 2008 at the age of 18, Rizzo played in class A with the Greenville Drive in the South Atlantic League. In 83 at bats, he hit .373/.402/.446 with 0 home runs and 11 RBIs. Rizzo hit 12 home runs in 2009. In 2010, he hit a combined .260 with an on-base percentage (OBP) of .334 and a slugging percentage (SLG) of .480 along with 42 doubles, 25 home runs and 100 RBIs between stops at High-A Salem and Double-A Portland. Rizzo credited the easing of his swing and making better use of his legs for his power surge.

On December 6, 2010, Rizzo was traded along with Casey Kelly, Reymond Fuentes, and Eric Patterson to the Padres for three-time All-Star first baseman Adrián González. Rizzo was considered the third best prospect (Kelly was #1) and the best power-hitting prospect in the Red Sox organization. Kevin Boles, Rizzo's manager at Salem, also previously managed González in the minors. Boles said, "Rizzo reminds me a lot of Adrián González...Rizzo is a bigger kid and has a little more power. Adrian is a little more of a contact hitter, but they had very similar styles of play...We thought very highly of Anthony Rizzo. He's going to be a heck of a player." Padres general manager Jed Hoyer expected either Rizzo or Kyle Blanks to eventually be the Padres major league starting first baseman.

The Padres invited Rizzo as a non-roster player to their major league camp for 2011 Spring training. He started the 2011 season in Triple-A with the Tucson Padres. In his first 15 games, Rizzo hit .452 with six home runs and 24 RBIs. In May 2011, The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote that Rizzo's debut in the Major Leagues might be delayed by the Padres despite the club's hitting deficiencies due to cost considerations created by the "Super Two" exception for salary arbitration eligibility. The team cited Rizzo's lack of experience above Double-A and his limited exposure to left-handed pitching as benefits of his continuing to play in Tucson.

Rizzo was called up to the majors after hitting .365 with an OPS of 1.159 along with 16 home runs and 63 RBI in 200 at-bats over 52 games in Tucson. The San Diego Union-Tribune called Rizzo "the most celebrated Padres call-up" since Roberto Alomar debuted with the team in 1988. Rizzo's promotion was prompted by the Padres' inadequate offensive production and fielding play of veterans at first base. In his debut on June 9, 2011, against the Washington Nationals, Rizzo struck out in his first at-bat, but then proceeded to hit a triple and score a run, helping the Padres to a 7–3 victory. He hit his first home run on June 11 against John Lannan. After three games he was 3-for-7 with a double, triple and a home run, while he demonstrated patience in drawing four walks for a .667 on-base percentage (OBP). On July 21, 2011, Rizzo was demoted back to Triple-A, and Blanks was promoted. Rizzo had struggled with only a .143 batting average and 1 home run, striking out 36 times in 98 at-bats. Hoyer said Rizzo "worked hard, never made excuses, and endeared himself to his teammates" during his initial stint in the majors. Rizzo was recalled to the majors on September 4 after finishing the season at Tucson batting .331 with 26 homers and 101 RBI in 93 games. He finished his first season in San Diego hitting only .141 with 46 strikeouts in 128 at-bats. Hoyer believed Rizzo would be the starting first baseman for the Padres in 2012 with Jesús Guzmán as the second option. However, Yonder Alonso moved ahead of Rizzo on the team's depth chart after he was acquired by the Padres in December 2011 in a trade for Mat Latos.

On January 6, 2012, the Padres traded Rizzo and right-handed starting pitcher Zach Cates to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for right-handed starting pitcher Andrew Cashner and outfielder Kyung-Min Na. The deal was negotiated by Jed Hoyer, the Cubs' general manager. Hoyer had also drafted Rizzo while working as an assistant general manager for the Red Sox, and later acquired Rizzo while he was the Padres' general manager. He blamed himself for calling up Rizzo to the majors too early in San Diego.

Rizzo started the 2012 season with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. He again excelled in the minor leagues, batting .342 with 23 home runs and 62 RBIs before being recalled by the Cubs on June 26. Similar to his call-up in San Diego, he was expected to help a struggling offense.