Usually for these I pick players who are very similar, play the same position, etc. But today I want to do something different.
If you could have Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper, which one would you pick?
Strasburg...amazing pitching talent, future number one starter (assuming he stays healthy), ready for the majors and just waiting for the service time clock to move forward a bit more. Draws comparisons to Roger Clemens and Tom Seaver. Possibly the best pitching prospect of the draft era. 21 years old.
or Harper...a 17 year old catcher with enormous power, currently dominating JUNIOR COLLEGE competition when other kids his age are mere high school juniors.
Now, your first reflex would probably be to go with Strasburg, since he's already shown what he can do in pro ball and there is less projection involved. But don't just go with your first reflex, and sit down and really think about it. Given the importance of age-relative-to-competition, the fact that Harper is absolutely dominating players two or three years older than he is should weight significantly. If he really develops into the monster hitter that scouts expect, would an everyday bat like that (especially if he remains a catcher) be more valuable than a guy who plays once a week?
Harper may end up getting a larger bonus than Strasburg did. Should he?
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