Cubs earn 2016 Organization of the Year honors by Baseball America – Chicago Tribune

The five-year process that earned the Chicago Cubs their first World Series title since 1908 has earned them 2016 Organization of the Year honors by Baseball America.

The Cubs, who overhauled their baseball operations department after the 2011 season through trades, shrewd draft picks and free-agent signings under the supervision of President Theo Epstein, earned the honor for the first time since the publication started the award in 1982.

The Cubs were praised by Baseball America for bolstering their scouting and player development departments that allowed them to identify talents like 2015 National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta, Addison Russell and Kyle Hendricks, select top-notch talents like 2016 NL Most Valuable Player Kris Bryant, Albert Almora Jr. and Kyle Schwarber in the amateur draft and sign free agents Jon Lester, Ben Zobrist and John Lackey.

Those players helped lead the Cubs to their treasured World Series title.