I came across an article on AOL Fanhouse today about Washington Nationals’ super-prospect Bryce Harper that I found interesting.
AOL Fanhouse scout Frankie Piliere believes Harper is not ready for the very competitive Arizona Fall League.
For those of you not familiar with the Arizona Fall League, it’s a league for the some of the top prospects in the game. Some of their games are on the MLB Network, and they are worth the watch.
While Piliere sees some holes in Harper’s offensive game, he had this to say about the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 Draft: “His raw power is as good as I have ever seen in a player his age, his physical strength and maturity at the plate are beyond his years and he has a chance to be a very strong defender in right field… From what I saw this week, he is an elite talent, but an elite talent that has much to learn.”
So before the “bust” word comes out, I think we need to put this in perspective. Harper is still just 17 years old and has a lot to learn as he goes through his development.
Remember, he played at the College of Southern Nevada. It’s not like he was playing in the Pac-10 or SEC and facing elite competition at the college level. Going from the College of Southern Nevada to the fall instructional league is a massive difference.
Harper will be a very good major league hitter. He won’t get there next year or probably the year after. He will eventually get there, and when he does, he will be a force to be reckoned with.
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