In part two of what is sure to be at least a two part series, the curious eye of Getting Blanked looks at the projections for young studs from around the baseball world. Today, Bryce Harper.
Keith Law released his top 25 under 25 ranking today for ESPN Insiders. Always an interesting exercise, Law place Mike Trout at the top and Bryce Harper second. This should come as no surprise, as Mike Trout is your father now. Bryce Harper might be tougher to take for some fans, as the NL Rookie of the Year looked good in 2012 but didn’t break records and faces like his AL counterpart.
Law points to Harper’s midseason struggles, where pitchers adjusted to his strengths and sent the Nats outfielder into a prolonged slump. Calls to platoon Harper came quietly, as the Nats battled for a playoff spot. Luckily, Washington was far enough ahead that Harper got to keep playing – and adjust.
And adjust Harper did, turning his season around and bringing his yearly stats up to respectability. Harper finished with a .352 wOBA, with 22 home runs and 18 steals as a 19-year old. The question we ask the projection systems: what will he do for an encore?
