The face of the future of Major League Baseball: Bryce Harper
By: David Washington
There’s never been a lack of young talent in baseball. Ken Griffey Jr. Alex Rodriguez. Justin Upton. All baseball prodigies. All number one overall picks. All current (or in the case of Griffey, recent) superstars. And all of them will soon be overshadowed by a kid named Bryce Harper.
If you’ve followed prospects in baseball, then the mere mention of Bryce Harper probably already has you salivating. If not, then let me introduce you to the future of baseball, Mr. Bryce Harper. Harper has been called (by Sports Illustrated) the Lebron James of baseball, and with good reason. He has the ability to play any position on the baseball diamond (including catcher) and has an excellent batting eye. Scouts claim that he was more developed physically and talent wise at the age of sixteen than all three of the aforementioned prodigies were at 18. I hear the voices now: “More developed than even surefire hall of famers Junior and A-Rod two years earlier? Please tell me more Mr. Washington.” I’d be glad to.
The seventeen year old Harper carries 205 pounds of solid muscle on his 6 foot 2 frame and has the physical attributes that most men would kill for. Despite never truly playing pitcher, to preserve his arm and allow him to bat on a daily basis, he’s recorded a 96 mile per hour fastball. His speed around the bases is extremely impressive and often allows him to steal bases on wild pitches. And his power… Well his power is what truly makes Harper a gem. His power is some of the most impressive that major baseball has EVER seen. In 2009, as a sixteen year old high school sophomore, he hit a home run out of Tropicana Field. The distance of the long ball? A Tropicana field record 502 feet. Let me repeat, a sixteen year old set the record for the distance of a home run out of a professional baseball stadium. As if that wasn’t enough, as a 15 year old high school freshman, Harper hit a 570 foot bomb out of his high school baseball diamond. 570 feet. Some of the greatest sluggers of all time would have loved to hit a 570 foot jack in batting practice during the prime of their careers, and Bryce Harper was able to do it at the tender age of 15. Let me give you a moment to comprehend that and pick your jaw up off the ground. You good? Good, I’ll continue.
As a 17 year old, after receiving his GED and forgoing his last two years of high school, Harper enrolled into the College of Southern Nevada to attain eligibility for the 2010 MLB draft and also to face stiffer competition. This doesn’t mean that his production slowed however, as in 66 games he hit 31 bombs, 98 RBIs while holding a .443 batting average and a .987 slugging percentage. All of that using a wooden bat. High school fluke? Harper answered that question with an emphatic “NO”.
Not only is Harper physically gifted and extremely talented, but he is a kid who realizes his potential and is extremely ambitious. “I know I’m going to make it there” Harper once stated. He is also extremely aware that the position that he enjoys won’t be the position that will maximize his ability. So, while he has a natural affinity and attraction to the catcher position, Harper will adapt and allow himself to be moved to the outfield to prolong his career and prevent injuries. Harper has even claimed that he believes he could be one of the greatest players in the game of baseball if he puts his mind to it. Intelligent, confident, media friendly, and determined to become one of the all time greats. That’s a person that you would love to represent your organization.
Just the other day, Harper was drafted #1 overall by the Washington Nationals. By the end of the year, Harper will almost certainly make his professional debut in the low minors for the Nationals and truly begin to make his mark on baseball. Now, Mr. Harper has quite lofty expectations to live up to. With rookie pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg well on his way to stardom (14 k’s in 7 innings in his ML debut last night) the Nats have cornerstone pieces to building a winner of a franchise for years to come. When, note that I say not if but WHEN, Bryce Harper meets and exceeds everyone’s expectations, Baseball may very well have its very first billion dollar contract. That’s a lot of zeros. You Ready for It? Bryce Harper is.
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