Categories: Phillies Nuggets with Tim Kelly

Bryce Harper ranked No. 2 on MLB Network countdown of top first basemen

Bryce Harper is entering his sixth season with the Phillies. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire)

Bryce Harper is entering his first full season as a first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies, but the two-time NL MVP‘s offensive reputation alone already has him ranked among the best players at his new position.

MLB Network released their rankings of the top 10 first basemen right now Thursday evening, with Harper checking in at No. 2:

Philadelphia got a much closer view of Freeman’s first 12 seasons than they would have liked, so it’s unlikely you’ll any arguments from Phillies fans on him claiming the top spot on this last. In the two seasons since leaving the Atlanta Braves for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Freeman has cemented his Hall of Fame case, leading baseball in doubles and finishing in the top four in NL MVP voting each year.

It is a bit of a rough break for Freeman’s successor on the Braves, Matt Olson, to have to settle for the No. 3 spot here. After all, Olson set a new Braves single-season franchise record with 54 home runs in 2023, also leading baseball in RBIs by a wide margin with 139. If anyone wanted to place Olson or 2022 NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt at No. 2, that would hardly be a hot take.

But what we would say to those who are upset that Harper is above Olson and Goldschmidt is when he’s been healthy the last three seasons, he’s been a superstar. Since the start of the 2021 season, Harper is slashing .297/.402/.546 with a .948 OPS. Obviously availability has to be part of the equation in these discussions. But Harper has had some freak injuries — getting hit in the face and on his left thumb — that aren’t the type that make you think a player is injury-prone. Tommy John surgery, which cost Harper the first month of the 2023 season, might just be part of the deal when you play baseball long enough. Harper’s right elbow shouldn’t be a problem moving forward. No one is suggesting first base is easy, but there should be less stress on Harper defensively than there was in right field.

And remember, Harper learned how to play first base on the fly last season, while rehabbing his elbow and serving as a DH when he first came back from Tommy John surgery. For the most part, Harper was proficient at a new position in 2023, posting one defensive run saved in 303 regular season innings at first base. There’s no reason to think he won’t continue to grow as a defender at first base, particularly now that he’s had a full offseason training to play the position.