Bryce Harper

This article is about the baseball player. Not to be confused with Bruce Harper.

Bryce Harper
Harper with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2021
Philadelphia Phillies – No. 3
Right fielder / First baseman / Designated hitter
Born: (1992-10-16) October 16, 1992 (age 31)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 28, 2012, for the Washington Nationals
MLB statistics
(through July 11, 2024)
Batting average.282
Hits1,601
Home runs326
Runs batted in947
Stolen bases137
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Bryce Aron Max Harper (born October 16, 1992) is an American professional baseball first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Washington Nationals from 2012 through 2018.

One of the most heavily touted draft prospects in recent history, Harper has been cited as a "five-tool player."[1][2] He left Las Vegas High School after his sophomore year so that he could attend the College of Southern Nevada, where he won the 2010 Golden Spikes Award. The Nationals selected Harper as the first overall pick in the 2010 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Nationals on April 28, 2012, at 19 years old. Harper was selected for the 2012 All-Star Game, becoming the youngest position player to play in an All-Star Game.[3]

Harper won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award in 2012 and tied for the NL lead in home runs in 2015. He was named the NL Most Valuable Player for 2015 by unanimous decision of the Baseball Writers' Association of America; at age 22, he was the youngest MLB player to win the award. As a free agent during the 2018–19 offseason, he signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies, the richest contract in the history of North American sports at the time, until being eclipsed shortly after by Mike Trout. He won his second NL MVP award in 2021 with the Phillies. The next season, he helped lead the Phillies to their first postseason appearance in 11 years, and was instrumental in helping the team win its first pennant since 2009, winning the NLCS MVP in the process.

  1. ^ Lemire, Joe (July 16, 2012). "Josh Hamilton, others help make centerfield game's glamour position". SportsIllustrated.com. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  2. ^ Morosi, Jon Paul (July 8, 2012). "All-Stars Mike Trout, Bryce Harper ride new wave of baseball". Foxsports.com. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  3. ^ Wagner, James (July 7, 2012). "Bryce Harper named to the all-star game". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 7, 2012.