Bryce Harper Makes Much-Anticipated Debut for Washington Nationals

No. 1 general pick Bryce Harper produced his professional debut for the Washington Nationals on Monday from the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Considered the best hitting prospect in all of baseball, Harper arrived to the game inside the fifth inning like a pinch runner for Matt Stairs. He struck on 3 straight pitches within the seventh inning and then fanned on 4 pitches within the ninth.

Given that Stairs was the designated hitter, Harper?awith thick black eye paint and what's going to soon be a household No. 34 jersey?adid not come in the field. The 18-year-old phenom, who helped the Scottsdale Scorpions to the Arizona Fall League Championship during the cold months, finished 0-for-2.

In his first pro at-bat, Harper slapped Taylor Tankersley's 86 MPH fastball foul another way and then swung over a pair of sliders that ran from the left-hander and dropped beneath his knees. In his second plate look he then took a 76 MPH changeup from Ryota Igarashi and let go a fastball up and away. Harper then took a curveball for strike two and struck on a low sinker.

MLB.com reporter Bill Ladson previously reported that Nats' GM Mike Rizzo stated Harper would most likely start the season in the minors. The most obvious location for him to start out would be together with the Hagerstown Suns inside the Sally League, though it's possible that he could start the season with Double-A Potomac, the reigning Carolina League champions. The left-hander from the School of Southern Nevada hit .319 in the instructional league after which batted .343 with 12 hits in 35 at-bats more than nine AFL games.

This once-in-a-generation stud plated seven runs, homered against Peoria and struck out 11 occasions for Scottsdale regardless of playing just two times a week. He also had an RBI single within the finals against the Javelinas.