Welcome to the Show, Bryce Harper

With much anticipation, the 2010 first overall pick by the Washington Nationals, Bryce Harper, will be making his big league debut today for the Nats.  His travels to the bigs has been a closely watched one at that, with many people expecting his debut to come last season when the rosters expanded in September, but that never came.  Then, many expected him to crack the opening day lineup this season, but still, he was sent back down to AAA-Syracuse to start the season.  But, finally, he will make his debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers out in LA tonight.

The former 1st-overall pick back in 2010, has had a solid career feasting on pitchers in the minor-league, with a .290 average, 18 home runs, and 61 RBIs.  In order to preserve him, the Nationals organization has converted him from the catcher position to an outfielder, hoping to save his knees and legs and allow him to be one of the many cornerstone pieces of the organization, along with Stephen Strasburg, for many years to come.  His fielding numbers in the minors average out to a .953 fielding percentage, with his best numbers coming in RF, while he showed signs of need-for-improvement in LF, where he .857 average with Syracuse this year ranks way below the average. 

Harper, much like Strasburg, was highly-touted at a young age, when he graduated from high-school in three years so he could attend junior college and begin playing against kids who were three-five years older than him.  He has been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated as "The Chosen One" and was showcased in a home-run derby in Tampa Bay, FL, where he is most-known for launching a home-run off the back wall at Tropicana Field, one measured over 500-feet. (skip to 3:00 for the home-run derby footage)

For the soon-to-be 20-year old, Harper's path to "The Show" has taken him through A-Hagerstown, AA-Harrisburg, and finally AAA-Syracuse, before he finally dons the Nationals uni in a regular season game tonight against the Dodgers.  First pitch is scheduled for 9:10 p.m.