Bryant, Garcia win their teams' Heart and Hustle awards

Bryant, Garcia win their teams’ Heart and Hustle awards

Avisail Garcia and Kris Bryant were named Chicago’s Heart and Hustle Award winners in 2017. | Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press; Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) announced Tuesday that Kris Bryant and Avisail Garcia earned the Cubs and White Sox 2017 Heart and Hustle awards.

This is the first time Bryant and Garcia have received this honor.

This award, which is the only MLB accolade that is voted on by former players, is given to one active player on each team who exhibits a strong work ethic and a deep passion and dedication for the game.

The MLBPAA forms 30 committees of Alumni players who have relationships to each team. As the end of the season draws near, all Alumni and active players will vote on a final winner out of the 30 current team winners.

The winner will be announced Nov. 14, 2017 at the 18th annual Legends for Youth Dinner in New York City. This event doubles as a fundraiser for free youth baseball clinics, which help more than 16,000 children at the 185 annual clinics.

Past winners include Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo in 2015 and White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier in 2016. Rizzo was also honored with the Heart and Hustle Award in 2016.

If Garcia wins, the White Sox will be the first franchise to have back-to-back Heart and Hustle Award winners since Torii Hunter and Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels won in 2011 and 2012.

Bryant is hitting .272 and is on paces for 38 home runs this season.

Garcia is batting .313 and has recorded the second most RBIs for the White Sox (54) this season.

The 30 individual team winners are as follows:

American League

Baltimore Orioles, Adam Jones

Boston Red Sox, Rick Porcello

Chicago White Sox, Avisaíl García

Cleveland Indians, José Ramírez

Detroit Tigers, Ian Kinsler

Houston Astros, Josh Reddick

Kansas City Royals, Eric Hosmer

Los Angeles Angels, Andrelton Simmons