![]() He figures to start the 2012 season back at Harrisburg or perhaps at Triple-A Syracuse if he dazzles in spring training, and he could slug his way to Washington before season's end. Harper looks like a sure-fire superstar in the making, and he has a very real chance to develop into the best all-around player in baseball. He's a tireless worker who loves to play the game, though sometimes his cockiness rubs opponents the wrong way. Many evaluators think Harper will lose a step and wind up in right field once he matures physically, though the Nationals believe he has a chance to stick in center field. He has the speed and instincts to steal bases, though he's still learning when he should run. Currently an above-average runner, Harper plays with youthful aggression in the outfield and on the basepaths, and his reads are getting better in both facets. He learned the importance of staying closed and using his legs when he throws, and he racked up seven assists in just 37 Double-A games after registering six in 68 games with Hagerstown. Primarily a catcher as an amateur, Harper played all three outfield positions during his pro debut. He's learning to stay under control when he throws, just as when he's in the batter's box. ![]() Harper draws plenty of walks and has the ability to be an above-average or better hitter as he matures, though some scouts think he may strike out out too much to hit for a high average. 167 average and one homer in 48 at-bats, but he hit them well at Hagerstown and shouldn't have a massive platoon split. Harper has some extra movement in his swing and sometimes jumps out on his front foot too early, but when he stays down and lets the ball travel, he sees pitches well and can drive them hard to the opposite field. He has incredible strength in his hands and generates enormous torque in his lefthanded swing, allowing him to smash massive drives to all fields. Harper's power and arm strength both rate as 80s on the 20-80 scouting scale. A hamstring injury cut his season two weeks short, but he recovered in time to head back to the AFL. He got his first taste of adversity after skipping to Double-A Harrisburg at midseason, enduring a 1-for-25 slump, but bounced back to finish with respectable numbers. He made his official pro debut as an 18-year-old in low Class A last April, and tore up the South Atlantic League in the first half. After being selected first overall that June and signing a $9.9 million major league contract-the largest ever given to a position player in the draft, and which included a $6.25 million bonus-Harper got his feet wet in the Arizona Fall League. After establishing himself as a can't-miss phenom early in his high school career, Harper earned his general equivalency diploma and skipped his final two years at Las Vegas High so he could enroll early at JC of Southern Nevada, where he won the Golden Spikes Award as the nation's top amateur player in 2010. The most hyped position-player prospect in baseball history, Harper has met or exceeded sky-high expectations at every stop in his short career. ![]()
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