Washington Nationals Editorial: Five Most All-Star Worthy Nats

Jun 20, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) watches his solo home run leave the field against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Bryce Harper

Big surprise, right?

The Nationals 6’3″, 215 lb right fielder, who can apparently squat 405 lbs, is leading the way in votes across the entire league, sitting at a cool 11.4 million votes and counting. This mark, surpassing Buster Posey‘s 2012 number of 7,621,370, is a new National League record. He isn’t earning those votes just for his likability (which is apparently quite scarce), this honor is well-deserved. Through the team’s first 81 games, Harper has been the undisputed MVP not just of the Nationals, but of the entire National League.

At the midpoint of the season, Bryce Harper has put up a stunning .344/.407/.719 slash line to go along with 25 home runs, 60 RBIs, 57 runs scored, and 60 walks. He is in the top five in nearly every offensive category, including leading the NL in runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS.

Harper is no stranger to the Midsummer Classic, as this will be his third appearance during his four-year career. This season will be his second career start in an All-Star Game, as he hit ninth in the lineup in 2013. This year, he will most likely be hitting third or fourth. Among projected starters from the last NL All-Star Ballot update, Harper is the only player in the top two in batting average, on-base percentage, and home runs.

Leading into the 2015 season, Bryce was a popular pick to finally have his breakout season. While many believed he would crack the MVP conversation, nobody expected him to completely dominate the league. The scariest part? The 22-year old phenom hasn’t even hit his prime.

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