Washington Nationals Editorial: Where Does Bryce Harper rank among NL East right fielders?

1) Bryce Harper (Washington Nationals)

As good as Stanton can be when he’s healthy, there’s no question that the best right fielder in the NL East is Bryce Harper. In fact, he may very well be the best player on the planet right now.

Harper, 23, paced the National League in nearly every offensive category last season. He was the heart and soul of the Nationals’ offense and breezed to his first ever NL MVP Award.

Compared to other NL East right fielders, no one came close to Harper in overall offensive production. The MVP led the division’s right fielders in WAR, OBP, batting average, home runs, runs scored, RBIs and nearly every other offensive category.

Prior to 2015, most considered Stanton to be the King of the East when it came to right fielders. His undeniable offensive ability and his tendency to hit balls into the stratosphere placed him ahead of every other right fielder in the division.

Last year, however, Harper emerged as the right fielder to beat in the NL East. While Stanton’s injury problems didn’t help his cause, Harper simply emerged into one of the best hitters in the game — finally living up to the expectations that have been hanging over his shoulders since he was just 16 years old.

At just 23 years old and still growing as a player, Harper could be even better if he stays healthy next season and should once again be the best right fielder in the NL East — though a healthy Stanton would likely fight him for that distinction.