With optimism surging after a strong late-season push, it’s time to check in on another reason to feel hopeful about the Nationals’ future: Top prospect Bryce Harper. During a chat with reporters before the team’s home finale Sunday, general manager Mike Rizzo didn’t rule out Harper breaking camp with the big-league club next spring training. But there are still developmental goals out there for Harper, who after missing the final 24 days of the season with a right hamstring strain is now at instructional camp in Viera, Fla. before heading to the Arizona Fall League next month. Washington will have to balance its need for another starting outfielder with Harper’s progression.
“You balance it by having experience in player development, knowing when a player is ready to contribute in the major leagues comfortably,” Rizzo said. “When [Harper] is ready to contribute in the major leagues for this team comfortably and his developmental progress won’t be stunted he’ll be in the big leagues. It’s not a chronological age thing, it’s a developmental thing.”
Unlike last year, where Harper was a part-time player in Arizona, he will get plenty out of this year’s stint in the AFL. An every-day player could get more than 100 at-bats against some of the sport’s top pitching prospects and other Single-A and Double-A caliber players. That’s a big deal for Harper, who turns 19 on Oct. 6.
Harper split 387 at-bats between low-A Hagerstown and Double-A Harrisburg in 2011. At the higher level in 129 at-bats he hit .256 with a .329 on-base percentage, a .395 slugging percentage and a .724 OPS. Harper also had 11 extra-base hits with Harrisburg, including three home runs. But the Nats aren’t worried about his bat. They have long said Harper needs to make progress defensively and on the bases, too.
And there is some question as to whether Washington can fill one of its outfield holes. Do the Nats trade for a center fielder? Do they save those pieces, move Jayson Werth to center and find a short-term corner outfielder or a platoon that could carry them to summer when Harper would have a better shot at being ready? There aren’t many attractive outfield options on the free agent list this winter and you wouldn’t want to do a long-term deal anyway if Harper is going to be ready by 2013, at worst. Plus, Michael Morse and his bat still need a home with Adam LaRoche apparently returning to first base in 2012 with his surgically repaired shoulder. This isn’t the American League, after all. Given the uncertainty, Rizzo wants Harper to get experience playing different positions. But no timelines, for now. He’ll be up when he hits the organization’s development goals and not a moment sooner.
“I still want to move [Harper] to several outfield positions because it gives us flexibility,” Rizzo said. “And I think he’s too young to be pigeonholed into any one spot because there’s the possibility he can play any of the three. He has the ability level to play any of the three positions out there.”
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