Meet Bryce Harper, #1 pick in 2010 Draft? -- Now also the 2010 MLB Draft Thread

[DeToxRox]

Kid is 16 and is trying to get eligible for the 2010 MLB Draft. Scouts say he'd go #1 in 2010 if he was eligible. He hit a 502 foot HR at the Trop, longest ever there and at 16 he was clocked at 93 mph. Not bad for a catcher. Obviously he has to show he can hit MLB offspeed stuff, but he is a franchise catcher who if he gets locked in with Boras might make Strasburgs contract pale in comparison.

He was featured in SI this week as well.

[claphamsa]

Word is he already has a house on the potomac....

[DeToxRox]

The Baseball Analysts: Revisiting Bryce Harper

Last August, I wrote an article entitled "Remember This Name," whereby I opened with the following paragraph:

Let me introduce you to the No. 1 pick in the 2011 amateur draft . . . Bryce Harper. I know, that particular draft won't take place for three more years. As such, how in the world could I make this type of a prediction now? Well, if you watched the 15-year-old, lefthanded-hitting catcher take batting practice, infield, and two plate appearances on Tuesday at the Area Code Games, as I did, then I have no doubt that you would be as enthusiastic about this phenom as I am.

Harper made some more noise earlier this month at the third annual International Power Showcase High School Home Run Derby at St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field. Although Harper didn't win the contest, according to Baseball America's Nathan Rode, the tenth grader "played the part of Josh Hamilton" while Christian Walker, a third baseman from Kennedy-Kenrick Catholic High in Norristown, Pennsylvania "served the role of Justin Morneau."

Greg Rybarczyk, who maintains the indispensable site Hit Tracker Online, which logs and calculates the trajectory of every major league home run, covered Harper's exploits at the Home Run Derby contest:

Over the next 60 seconds, Harper unleashed an awe-inspiring series of hits to areas of Tropicana Field few major leaguers have reached:

• 460 feet to the top edge of the Jumbotron in right field; 119 mph off the bat
• 484 feet to the back wall of the stadium, 15 feet above the Jumbotron; 122 mph
• 485 feet to the back wall, just below the orange Bright House “target” sign; 123 mph
• 405 feet on a blistering line drive around the RF pole; 118 mph
• 502 feet to the back wall, in the vicinity of the first “A” in the Tropicana Field sign, 20 feet above the top of the Jumbotron; 124.5 mph
• 477 feet to right-center field, halfway up and a few feet to the left of the Jumbotron; 119 mph.

Harper cranked six home runs with a metal bat, averaging 469 feet with an exit velocity of 121 mph. Photographer Jeff Horton captured Harper's longest homer below (with Rybarcyzk providing location and distance for each of his dozen home runs).


Harper_photo_scatter_pic2_2-1.jpg


Notice the white ball toward the top, left-center of the photo. It traveled 502 feet, the longest of the event and on record at Tropicana. According to Rybarczyk, the ball would have exited Yankee Stadium. Greg told Baseball America's Rode, "It was hit at precisely the right direction to get just to the left of the upper deck in Yankee Stadium, but to the right of the bleachers and back bleacher wall. It would have cleared the back wall of Yankee Stadium with probably about 15 to 20 feet to spare."

Rode added, "Another one of his shots traveled 484 feet and at its angle would have landed in the right field Upper Deck of Fenway Park, which has never been done."

Harper hit 12 home runs overall — enough to make the top five — but slugged only one in the final round. Rybarczyk said the 16-year-old high school sophomore "looked worn out, understandably so since he had the misfortune to have hit 67th out of 69 batters, and had only a few minutes to recover before the finals."

Walker won the title by going yard nine times in the final round. Ryan Gunhouse (Clear Creek HS, League City, Texas), Randal Grichuk (Lamar Consolidated HS, Rosenburg, Texas), and Dante Bichette (Orangewood Christian, Maitland, Florida) joined Harper (Las Vegas HS, Las Vegas, Nevada) in the finals. Bichette, the son of the former Colorado Rockies slugger, is a sophomore as well.

The following video of Harper is worth wa

[Lathum]

There has been alot of talk about him on the radio this week, more of it was centered around whether or not he should have been featured on the cover or not.

[JediKooter]

Metal bat...not impressed.

The kid is big for 16 and looks like he has a lot of potential for sure. Should be interesting to see his career progress.

[DeToxRox]

Reporting from the Area Code Games, Rich Lederer introduces us to Bryce Harper, perhaps the best 15-year-old baseball player in America …

I'm not the only one who feels this way about the 6-foot-2, 197-pound sophomore-to-be from Las Vegas. I spoke to a handful of the more than 300 scouts in attendance on the first day of the tournament about Harper and the responses -- from those who have followed him closely to others who had seen him for the first time that day -- ranged from "wow" to shaking head in disbelief to "the best high school hitter I've ever seen."

Using a wood bat, Harper put on a hitting clinic toward the end of BP, blasting one shot after another. Several hours later, the prized prospect hit the two hardest balls during the opening day of the six-day tournament in which pitchers dominated the action. In his first at-bat, Harper, serving as the designated hitter for the Cincinnati Reds, lined out to center field. He hit the ball about as squarely as possible, directly up the middle but straight into the glove of Washington Nationals center fielder Kyrell Hudson.

In Harper's second trip to the plate, he jacked a towering shot off the right-field wall for a stand-up triple to open the sixth inning.

...

Harper has a power bat and a plus throwing arm that "already grades out to 70 on the 20 to 80 scouting scale," according to Dave Perkin of Baseball America. During infield prior to the game, Harper, in full gear, rifled the ball out of a crouch to second and third base with precision. Upon seeing him in action, I marked down "+ + arm" next to his name in my program. Although the rap on him is that he's not all that fast, I thought he ran very well from home to third on that triple, especially considering his age, size, and power. The kid is nothing if not impressive.

There's a long time between now and Draft Day 2011, but the last tyro who got these sorts of reviews at the Area Code Games was probably Justin Upton, who's done pretty well for himself since. I don't pay much attention to amateur players because I have a hard enough time keeping the professionals straight. But every so often, some kid simply demands your attention, and apparently this kid is one of those.

[DeToxRox]

People are already calling him the Lebron James of baseball. He is probably a better prospect then Josh Hamilton was, which is disgusting.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

People are already calling him the Lebron James of baseball. He is probably a better prospect then Josh Hamilton was, which is disgusting.

Baseball is so much harder to predict though.

It will be interesting to see what kind of bonus he will seek. Hard to imagine the Pirates or Royals plucking down a 10 million dollar bonus for an unproven high school kid.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Baseball is so much harder to predict though.

It will be interesting to see what kind of bonus he will seek. Hard to imagine the Pirates or Royals plucking down a 10 million dollar bonus for an unproven high school kid.

Baseball prospects are becoming easier to spot as being the real deal now though. It's still not nearly an exact science but it's obvious that the top guys are much easier to determine these days.

[Sun Tzu]

Agreed...it's not a wooden bat. Give Josh Hamilton that bat and he'll smash that record in 2 swings.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Baseball prospects are becoming easier to spot as being the real deal now though. It's still not nearly an exact science but it's obvious that the top guys are much easier to determine these days.

True, but in today's day and age I am curious to see what kind of bonus a guy who may not help you until 2-3 years down the road gets.

[Logan]

Does anyone know if there's a list out there or analysis of guys who have slipped in drafts because of signability concerns, at least supposed top 5 picks who have dropped to maybe the 15 or later range in the first? I know it's going to be fairly subjective, but I'm curious about something...

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu

Agreed...it's not a wooden bat. Give Josh Hamilton that bat and he'll smash that record in 2 swings.

But one is already a pro, and one is 16. Now tell me if Hamilton at 16 could do it then we'll talk.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Lathum

True, but in today's day and age I am curious to see what kind of bonus a guy who may not help you until 2-3 years down the road gets.

Really just depends who drafts them. If a team who spends money struggles in 2010, like lets say the Rangers implode. Even though they have two young catchers, they would take a kid like this and pay him what he wants I am sure.

Hell the Nats are going to cough up 15-20 mil in bonus this year for Strasburg and this is the same team that let Aaron Crow walk last year for wanting too much money.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Baseball is so much harder to predict though.

It will be interesting to see what kind of bonus he will seek. Hard to imagine the Pirates or Royals plucking down a 10 million dollar bonus for an unproven high school kid.

Aww, Lathum.. you're so nice! The Pirates or Royals!

I wish I had that kind of faith.

[claphamsa]

well, strasbough is better than crow... and the nats suck ass!

[lungs]

He'd be wise to move to another country not subject to the draft for a year and then declare his free agency. Not sure how much he'd get out of being intentionally walked all the time in high school here. Go play with some Dominican kids for a year.

Hopefully that would help trigger some massive changes to baseball's draft.

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

Aww, Lathum.. you're so nice! The Pirates or Royals!

I wish I had that kind of faith.

especially since hes DCs to lose, it would take an epic run for us not to pick #1 next year as well!

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by lungs

He'd be wise to move to another country not subject to the draft for a year and then declare his free agency. Not sure how much he'd get out of being intentionally walked all the time in high school here. Go play with some Dominican kids for a year.

Hopefully that would help trigger some massive changes to baseball's draft.

+1

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by claphamsa

well, strasbough is better than crow... and the nats suck ass!

Are you aware that there is talk of drafting Crow with the #10 this year?

[claphamsa]

Ive heard that, and anyone who thinks crow will make it to #10 is smoking crack.

That being said, he could get picked #2 and be no where near as good as Strasbough

[claphamsa]

yay baseball draft! im pumped!

[Atocep]

So how many high school catchers drafted in the top 10 have worked out?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Atocep

So how many high school players drafted in the top 10 have worked out?

fixed it for you

[stevew]

How many pitchers drafted #1 overall have panned out? Basically nobody of any merit.

[molson]

Originally Posted by lungs

He'd be wise to move to another country not subject to the draft for a year and then declare his free agency. Not sure how much he'd get out of being intentionally walked all the time in high school here. Go play with some Dominican kids for a year.

Hopefully that would help trigger some massive changes to baseball's draft.

That's such a good idea that I'm thinking it's not possible under the rules somehow, otherwise everybody would do it.

[lordscarlet]

Of the 43 players selected with the first overall pick (one player was the No. 1 selection twice), only 13 have been pitchers.

Pitchers not a popular pick at No. 1 | MLB.com: News

None of them have been stellar. However, look at the #1 list overall (List of MLB first overall draft choices) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Of those 43, 18 have been All-Stars. I don't know MLB well enough to tell you who has and has not been a HOFer (none of them?). There are a couple of possible future HOFers (ARod, Griffey, Chipper perhaps). But the #1 spot just doesn't have a long history of that level of success.

However, if you look at the top 10 picks, not a single top 10 pitcher has had a HOF career. The closest (according to an article in the Post http://voices.washingtonpost.com/nat...pick_pitc.html) are probably Dwight Gooden, Devin Broan and J.R. Richard. Only 14 of them have even won 125 games.

Non pitchers taken in the top 10: Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, Chipper Jones, Alex Rodriguez, Reggie Jackson, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Dave Winfield, Derek Jeter, Gary Sheffield, Frank Thomas, Mark McGwire, Joe Carter, Barry Larkin, Harold Baines, Will Clark, Matt Williams, Troy Glaus, Thurman Munson, Dale Murphy, Todd Helton, Darryl Strawberry and Ted Simmons.

Pitching talent just seems to be way too hard to predict.

[DaddyTorgo]

ARoid in the HoF? God I hope not!

[claphamsa]

roids or not he is the best player of our generation, that and if 50% of the players are on roids.......

eras need to be judged with their contempraries.

i assume you are a sox fan... so you say no on manny and papi too?

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by Atocep

So how many high school catchers drafted in the top 10 have worked out?

im sure the twins are hating having drafted mauer......

[JeeberD]

I hope to god Bichette Jr is sporting dad's mullet...

[lungs]

Originally Posted by molson

That's such a good idea that I'm thinking it's not possible under the rules somehow, otherwise everybody would do it.

I was just reading about this a few weeks ago somewhere that I can't remember. Don't quote me on this, but I believe that spending a year in a country not subject to the Rule IV draft (amateur draft) would be eligible for free agency. Let me do some digging....

[RainMaker]

Catchers are still a tough position to judge. Wouldn't he be better off learning 3B or something? A catcher only gets 125 games and is much more prone to short careers and injuries while developing.

He'll definitely be a high pick but I don't think he's a guarantee at all. Too much can go wrong in baseball. And while he can crush the ball, his swing is pretty long and I don't think that catches up to major league pitching at all.

[stevew]

Bryce Harper to be eligible for 2010 MLB draft

Sunday, June 14, 2009 | Print Entry


Posted by Jason A. Churchill

In Keith Law's look at the Class of 2010, the wild-card name was Las Vegas High School star Bryce Harper, a 16-year-old catcher who just completed his sophomore year.

Harper and his family told the Las Vegas Review-Journal yesterday that he's going to take his GED test this fall and has already enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada. These steps make Harper eligible for the 2010 Major League Baseball draft, greatly strengthening a rather average class.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Harper hit .626 with 14 home runs, 55 RBIs and 36 stolen bases this season for LVHS; he will play on the same CSN team as his older brother, Bryan, a left-handed pitcher transferring from Cal State Northridge for the 2010 season.

[Mustang]

Guess he wants to play for the Nats.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by lungs

He'd be wise to move to another country not subject to the draft for a year and then declare his free agency. Not sure how much he'd get out of being intentionally walked all the time in high school here. Go play with some Dominican kids for a year.

Hopefully that would help trigger some massive changes to baseball's draft.

Originally Posted by molson

That's such a good idea that I'm thinking it's not possible under the rules somehow, otherwise everybody would do it.

Originally Posted by lungs

I was just reading about this a few weeks ago somewhere that I can't remember. Don't quote me on this, but I believe that spending a year in a country not subject to the Rule IV draft (amateur draft) would be eligible for free agency. Let me do some digging....

Rumblings and Grumblings -- What if Washington Nationals could trade Stephen Strasburg? - ESPN

The Far Eastern League: For all of you out there who loved the spectacle of Scott Boras driving No. 1 picks to the Northern League, get ready for his next draft-negotiation gambit -- the new and unprecedented I'll-send-this-kid-to-Japan trick. And if he takes that one far enough, the United Nations might have to resolve Stephen Strasburg's future.

"There's nothing prohibiting a team in Japan from signing a kid like Strasburg," says one longtime baseball man. "For years, we've had a tacit understanding that we'd never sign an amateur from Japan and they'd never sign an amateur from America. But once the Red Sox went after [Junichi] Tazawa, all bets were off. So if he can't get a deal done with Washington, he signs a one-year deal over there, there's no reserve clause, and he's out on the market [as a free agent] the next year."

But that, of course, isn't how Major League Baseball sees this. We're told MLB would not consider Strasburg a free agent, or a guy available for a Dice-K-ish posting fee, if he spent a year in Japan. The ruling would be that if he attempted to return, he'd have to go back into the draft. Wouldn't matter if he'd just played in Tokyo or St. Paul.

But Boras would have other ideas, obviously. So cue the law clerks. Once again this week, we forgot to graduate from law school, so we have no idea how that would turn out. All we know is that, once the negotiating smog lifts, the Washington Nationals have to sign this guy -- or now it's an international incident waiting to happen.

[DeToxRox]

And from Rivals, Harper is skipping his final two years by taking his GED test and enrolling in community college to play college ball.

LAS VEGAS -- A 16-year-old baseball phenom dubbed the game's "Chosen One" by Sports Illustrated plans to skip his final two years of high school in hopes of entering the Major League Baseball draft earlier, his father said.


Bryce Harper
Bryce Harper has registered at a community college where he plans to attend classes in the fall and play next season, his father Ron Harper said.

"People question your parenting and what you're doing. Honestly, we don't think it's that big a deal," Ron Harper said. "He's not leaving school to go work in a fast food restaurant. Bryce is a good kid. He's smart and he's going to get his education."

Ron Harper announced his son's decision on Saturday in Oklahoma City.

Harper, a 6-foot-3-inch catcher whom experts say could be a top draft pick when he becomes eligible, recently signed enrollment forms and a letter of intent to play for the College of Southern Nevada.

Harper plans to take a high school equivalency test and enter the draft in 2010 or 2011, Ron Harper said.

"Bryce is always looking for his next challenge," Ron Harper said. He's going to pursue his education, too. He's going to get pushed academically and athletically."

Harper hit .626 with 14 homers, 55 RBIs and 36 steals last season for Las Vegas High School.

His photo is on the cover of the June 8 issue of Sports Illustrated, along with a headline that compares him to LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball star who received superstar hype in high school before getting picked first in the 2003 NBA draft.

Ron Harper said his son pushed to leave high school early.

"He was thinking about it, he initiated it," the father said. "He said, 'Dad, why can't I take my GED and do this?"'

Players become eligible for the draft at age 16 if they have completed high school.

[JediKooter]

What's the over/under on him pulling a Ryan Leaf?

[DaddyTorgo]

given that it's baseball...decent. but positional-players who are top-5 picks in baseball actually tend to do alright in terms of superstar/bust IIRC

[DeToxRox]

Honestly, it's no different then some of these 16 year olds from the Dominican teams are signing. The problem Harper will have is that unlike those kids he'll be in the limelight from the get go. It's just different here because we hear about it.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

given that it's baseball...decent. but positional-players who are top-5 picks in baseball actually tend to do alright in terms of superstar/bust IIRC

Ah ok. Well, at 16 I'm sure he's got it all figured out anyway.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I read that article and only formulated one comment about it: There's a "Las Vegas High School"? I didn't go to high school, but I do know that there's no "New Orleans High School" or "Memphis High School" or "Pittsburgh High School". Anyway, that's all I've got.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I read that article and only formulated one comment about it: There's a "Las Vegas High School"? I didn't go to high school, but I do know that there's no "New Orleans High School" or "Memphis High School" or "Pittsburgh High School". Anyway, that's all I've got.

White High School, maybe?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

Ah ok. Well, at 16 I'm sure he's got it all figured out anyway.

i didn't say that. i was just answering the general inquiry about how likely he was to flame out.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

White High School, maybe?

maybe i can just die

[DeToxRox]

Dola,

Miguel Angel Santo is a 16 year old from the Dominican who can be signed starting July 2nd is looking at getting around a 5 million dollar signing bonus. That won't cause people to bat an eyebrow. I don't think this should either.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I read that article and only formulated one comment about it: There's a "Las Vegas High School"? I didn't go to high school, but I do know that there's no "New Orleans High School" or "Memphis High School" or "Pittsburgh High School". Anyway, that's all I've got.

Jesus, how easy must it be for seniors to bang freshman chicks in THAT school?

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

i didn't say that. i was just answering the general inquiry about how likely he was to flame out.

DT, sorry that was not meant to be at you, I was just being a smart ass and poking at his age.

[DeToxRox]

An update:

Bryce Harper showing his potential for Southern Nevada
QUICKREAD

JUCO singer auditions

By Allen Gemaehlich
Wednesday, March 17, 2010

This season has been anything but normal for the College of Southern Nevada.

There were 120 scouts for the season-opening weekend and hundreds of media requests for 17-year-old phenom Bryce Harper.

Harper, who quit high school and passed a GED course so he could prepare himself for a professional baseball career, is projected to be the first junior college player to be the No. 1 pick in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft. Harper has lived up to the hype.

“I’ve known him since he was 5, 6 years old,” Southern Nevada coach Tim Chambers said. “With us being in a wood-bat league and pitching rich teams, I knew he would have to make some adjustments, but I didn’t expect him to do what he’s doing.”

Harper has hit eight of the team’s 18 home runs and only needs five more to tie the individual single-season school record, Chambers said.

“The home runs he hits, I can’t believe he would be a junior in high school,” Chambers said. “He hit one over the lights last weekend.”

That’s not all.

Harper, who is hitting .413, has 70 total bases and an .875 slugging percentage. The next closest player has 45 total bases and a .564 slugging percentage.

Despite all the attention Harper is getting, it hasn’t distracted the Coyotes from winning.

[lighthousekeeper]

wow