There's not much more to say about Bryce Harper that hasn't already been reprinted hundreds of times. The young phenom is probably the best hitting prospect since Alex Rodriguez, and that's after we disregard the 96mph fastball he can throw as a pitcher.

If his 560-foot home runs are any indication, Harper is a generational talent who should blossom into a star major league player under the right tutelage. A catcher for most of his teenaged life, he was officially designated for outfield duty hours after being drafted by the Nationals. The less-demanding defensive work will preserve his body and also shorten his path to the majors, where we expect to see him take over right field in Washington for a decade or so.

Since signing, Harper has done nothing to disappoint, continuing to dominate pitchers in pro ball and continuing to dent stadium parking lots around the minor leagues. He did look a little more mortal in AA toward the end of last season, but that only proves that the kid is human: he was still eighteen, after all.

If he destroys the baseball this Spring, the Nats may be pressured to hand him an Opening Day roster spot, but we're assuming cooler heads prevail, and the team keeps him in the minors until at least mid-June to prevent his expensive arbitration clock from starting too soon.

That said, it's hard to imagine that the Nationals will be able to hold him down in the minors for the entire season, especially if he keeps being Bryce F. Harper. So no matter whether it's June or September, we should get a look at him in Washington this year. Of course, it's still 2013 that will be his real superstar-level opening opportunity.