The most well-known amateur baseball players on Earth right now is 17-year-old Bryce Harper. Considering his five-tool talent (hit, hit for power, run, field and throw), it seems like a can of corn that he will be the first player selected in the First Year Player Draft this June. However, there appears to be some conflicting reports as to whether the College of Southern Nevada talent will be chosen by the Washington Nationals, who are up first to pick in the draft. With just one year left before graduation, Harper ditched his Las Vegas high school and got a GED instead to be MLB draft eligible. The Nationals will possibly need several payday loans to afford him.

People left and right say draft Bryce Harper

Supporters of Bryce Harper sure have a lot to crow about. According to the Washington Post, however, drafting the 17-year-old Bryce Harper first is not a sure thing. Nationals Director of Amateur Scouting Kris Kline told the Post as much, but the team is keeping its options open. What Kline did not mention, however, is that this may not necessarily have anything to do with the fact Harper may lack talent or is too young, but rather because he is associated with super agent Scott Boras. Boras has a reputation of demanding maximum money for his clients and is difficult in negotiations. Of course, Boras is not exactly Bryce Harper’s agent just yet, but an “adviser.” When he signs on that dotted line, Harber will forfeit his amateur eligibility, and it will only be a matter of time before it actually happens. The Washington Nationals know all of this; they’ve already paid Boras client Stephen Strasburg, 21, a record-breaking deal.

SI nicknames Bryce Harper ‘Baseball’s LeBron James’

It’s clear that the talent is there. However, as Oakland GM and minority owner Billy Beane knows, all the talent in the world does not guarantee success as a Major League Baseball player. The only thing it guarantees is tremendous hype. Both from a playing standpoint and an emotional security standpoint, Bryce Harper could use the seasoning of a college career. If he keeps his grades up, he could very much receive a full athletic scholarship to any major baseball school, from Miami to Wichita State. Bryce Harper and his parents should really appreciate this gift. Baseball players have a better shot at avoiding career-ending injuries than football and basketball players.

So the Nationals should probably abstain and pick an established college star

If they could afford to keep Bryce Harper in the minors a little longer and await further development, then there would be no question. However, we are talking about the Washington Nationals, a team in need of immediate help to stay competitive. They’re going to rush Strasburg to the Show, and the results may reflect their haste. A gamble it is, and it is something the Nationals cannot afford. Bryce Harper should realize that he’s only 17 and needs to be fully prepared for the adult world before he dives in with fistfuls of dollars. He will still make the same if he waits, probably more. One thing is for sure, he’s clear from needing cash advance loans any time soon.

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