Washington Nationals' team President Stan Kasten spoke to a group of internet-based writers and fans for about 25 minutes this past Saturday as part of the Nats' "Inside Pitch Live" speaker series, and inevitably, the question of what the Washington Nationals will do with College of Southern Nevada catcher Bryce Harper IF they should draft him came up. On Sunday, the Nationals finally confirmed that the 17-year-old YouTube sensation and SI cover kid would be the no.1 pick in the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft, which takes place tonight at 7:00 pm EST. Here's what Mr. Kasten had to say about what the Nationals think the future holds for their second-straight no.1 overall pick.
Stan Kasten: "I think [the Nats' scouts] believe that he is a kid who is well-developed for a 17-year-old, mentally and physically, and that he will have a short path to the major leagues, especially if he signs really quickly. I'm just saying, okay. I'm just offering advice. In addition, the baseball people I talk to think his bat could be so advanced he'd be better off in the outfield...he has an above average arm, [and] wouldn't have the wear and tear or the learning curve that a catcher would need. I think a catcher might take three or four or five years from a seventeen-year-old to really make it up here, whereas an outfielder could be up here in...two years maybe?"
In his freshman year at the College of Southern Nevada, Harper hit for a ridiculous .442/.524/.986 slash line with 22 doubles, 4 triples, 29 HR's, 89 RBI's, 35 walks (just 39 K's), 18 stolen bases, a .979 fld% etc., etc., cementing his status as the best available prospect in the nation. Now the fun begins, how much is Harper's agent going to demand for the second-straight "once-in-a-generation" talent to go no.1 overall to the Nationals, who took San Diego State University right-hander Stephen Strasburg with the top pick in the '09 Draft and gave him a 4-year/$15.1 dollar major league deal...