June 22, 2016 – The Bleacher Creature

Bryce Harper has shown signs of stardom in his brief career. He went from being an aggressive teenager to a mature 20 year old. In this article one will know everything about Bryce Harper.

Bryce Harper appeared on Sports Illustrated for the first time in 2009, at the age of 16. Critics and writers knew he was going to be something special when he hit a 570 foot home run. The Washington Nationals took no hesitation and drafted Bryce in the first round of the 2010 draft. Two years later, he finally made his long awaited debut at the age of 19. His 2012 season was solid. In 139 games, the rookie hit 22 home runs, drove in 59 RBIs, scored 98 runs, and stole 18 bases. He would claim a trip to the All-Star Game and the National League Rookie of the Year.

Bryce followed his 2012 rookie campaign with another great season. In 118 games, Bryce slugged 20 home runs and stole 11 bases. He would be named to his second All Star Game and even was asked to participate in the Home Run Derby at Citi Field, too. Injuries slowed Harper down in 2014, but he stepped it up in 2015. 2015 was by far his best season in his career. He had career highs in games, home runs, RBIs, runs, doubles, batting average, slugging percentage, Wins Above Replacement (WAR), walks, and hits. He tied the National League lead in home runs with 42 and singly led the league in WAR with 9.9. Bryce would be named to the All Star Game for the third time in his career and picked up the National League Most Valuable Player award. He surpassed Mike Trout to become the youngest unanimous MVP recipient. In Harper’s young career, he has taken home a plethora of hardware. In conclusion, Bryce Harper is one of the best players in Major League Baseball.

Nolan Arenado has emerged as one of baseball great superstars. Evolving from a defensive wizard to an all-around beast, Arenado has etched his name in stone. In this article one will get to know the ins and outs of Nolan Arenado.

Nolan Arenado is a superstar for the Colorado Rockies. He was born in Newport Beach, California. His parents named his after the legendary Nolan Ryan. Despite the origin of his name, Arenado has made himself famous not by pitching. Standing at a solid 6-2 and weighing in at 205 pounds, Nolan moves around the infield with ease. He is famous for charging infield hits with his bare hand and throwing out the runner. His signature move was when he slid off the tarp at AT&T Park to make an unbelievable catch. All these defensive accomplishments have led him to three Gold Glove awards in his first three seasons.

While having all this success on defense, Nolan’s offense has drastically improved. Playing at the hitter friendly Coors field has helped enhance his numbers. In his rookie season in 2013, he hit 10 home runs. 2014 saw 18 home runs. 2015 was different. He slugged 42 home runs to tie the league lead. He also led the league in RBIs with 130. On top of that, Arenado also piled up 43 doubles with a .287 batting average. All these numbers ended up leading to an outstanding .575 slugging percentage, a trip to the All-Star Game, and his first Silver Slugger award.

Nolan Arenado’s 2016 season has been great. Through his first 69 games, Nolan has crushed 21 home runs, hit 14 doubles, and driven in 60 RBIs while also playing stellar defense. As one can see, Nolan Arenado is one of baseball’s young sensations.