Bryce Harper
Bryce Harper | |
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Washington Nationals – No. 34 | |
Catcher/outfielder | |
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Bryce Harper (born October 16, 1992 in Las Vegas, Nevada) plays baseball for the College of Southern Nevada, primarily as catcher. He was drafted by the Washington Nationals as the first pick of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft.[2] Harper stands at 6 foot 3 inches and weighs 205 lbs.[3]
Accomplishments
Harper played for the Las Vegas High School Wildcats before leaving two years early to pursue a professional career.[1][4] He has been called "the LeBron James of baseball" by Sports Illustrated.[5]. He is the first high school sophomore to be named a first team All-American by Baseball America.[6]
Harper primarily plays catcher, but can also play third base and right field. Harper also has been recorded pitching 96 mph. During the 2009 International Power Showcase at Tropicana Field, Harper hit a 502-foot home run (with a metal/composite bat),[1][2] the record for the longest in that stadium.
In 2008, Harper had a .599 batting average with 11 home runs and 67 RBIs in 38 games for Las Vegas High School.[7]
In 2009, Harper had a .626 batting average with 14 home runs and 55 RBIs.[8]
College career
Harper is taking classes at the College of Southern Nevada, where he is currently playing baseball. He received his GED in December 2009, making him eligible for the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft.[8][9] Through 62 games in his 2010 Junior College season, Harper is batting .442/.524/.986 (AVG/OBP/SLG) with 88 runs scored, 29 home runs, 89 RBIs, 18 SBs, and a 1.510 OPS.
In the Western district finals of the 2010 NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) World Series, Harper went 6-for-7 with 5 RBIs and hit for the cycle.[10] The next day, in a doubleheader, he went 2-for-5 with a three-run double in the first game, and in the second game went 6-for-6 with 4 home runs, a triple, and a double.[11]
On June 2, 2010, Harper was ejected from the National Junior College World Series, when he showed up home plate umpire Don Gilmore after a called third strike. Harper drew his bat in the dirt to show where he thought the pitch was, and he may have uttered something when Gilmore threw him out. It was Harper's second ejection of the year, which resulted in a two-game suspension.[12] The suspension in all likelihood ended his amateur career, as Southern Nevada lost the game from which Harper was ejected and lost their next game with Harper suspended, which eliminated them from the tournament.[13]
References
- ^ a b c "2010 International High School Power Showcase Home Run Derby Profile - Nevada Representative". Power-Showcase.com. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
- ^ a b Picker, David. "Prodigy Harper Handles the Pressure." ESPN. 12/8/09. ESPN, Web. 29 Jan 2010.
- ^ Simpson, Allan (October 12, 2005). "2005 Baseball for the Ages". Baseball America.
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ignored (help) - ^ Seiters, Damon (March 21, 2009). "Sierra Vista lands last flurry in win". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
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ignored (help) - ^ Verducci, Tom (June 8, 2009). "Baseball's Lebron". Sports Illustrated.
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ignored (help) - ^ Baseball America, Issue No. 0906, March 9-22, 2009, P.38 Preseason high school all-America team
- ^ Grossfeld, Stan (March 10, 2009). "Teen bopper". Boston Globe.
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ignored (help) - ^ a b Youmans, Matt (June 14, 2009). "Harper ready to give college try". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
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ignored (help) - ^ Glassey, Conor. Harper Passes GED, Baseball America. Published December 3, 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
- ^ D.J. Short (May 22,2010). "Bryce Harper hits for the cycle". Retrieved May 23,2010.
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(help) - ^ Youmans, Matt (May 23, 2010). "Harper lifts CSN to Junior College World Series: Four HRs, 10 RBIs power CSN to title". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
- ^ http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2010/06/bryce-harper-ejected-and-suspended-perhaps-ending-amateur-career/1
- ^ Crasnick, Jerry (June 4, 2010). "Yeah, he's that good". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
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Further reading
- Bryce Harper's College Statistics
- Las Vegas ‘prodigy’ makes Sports Illustrated cover
- SI cover boy leaving high school after two years
- Prodigy Harper Handles the Pressure
- Harper Faces Questions About Attitude, Not Ability