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Phillies: Bryce Harper domino effect could last decades

By George Stockburger

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 14: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals rounds second base to score on Daniel Murphy #20's (not pictured) game winning double in the tenth inning during a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park on April 14, 2017 in Washington, D.C. The Nationals won 3-2 in ten innings. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 14: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals rounds second base to score on Daniel Murphy #20's (not pictured) game winning double in the tenth inning during a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park on April 14, 2017 in Washington, D.C. The Nationals won 3-2 in ten innings. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 26: A general view of the helmets and bats of the against the Philadelphia Phillies prior to the Grapefruit League spring training game against the New York Yankees at Steinbrenner Field on February 26, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Young prospects are more likely trade bait

If the Phillies add Harper it makes their crop of young outfield prospects even more likely to be traded in the near future.

First round picks Mickey Moniak and Adam Haseley fell off top-100 lists last year but were still relatively productive and were invited to big league spring training this year.

Haseley reached Double-A Reading last year and could see time in Lehigh Valley next season, while Moniak, the number one overall pick in 2016, finished with Clearwater.

Also. Will Adam Haseley see the big leagues in 2019?. light

Moniak has been the most disappointing of the two, but his bat did pick up late last year, finishing with a .270 batting average in 114 games. He’s still adjusting to being a professional athlete and playing a high number of games, plus he’s just 20-years-old, fresh out of high school.

CHICAGO, IL – JUNE 06: Dylan Cozens #25 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning on June 6, 2018 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – JUNE 06: Dylan Cozens #25 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning on June 6, 2018 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images) /

In addition to those two top prospects the Phillies have Jhaylin Ortiz (who regressed last year), Cozens, Quinn, Williams, and Altherr available. Ortiz went from being a top-10 prospect in the organization last year on MLB Pipeline’s list to not making Baseball America’s top-10 this year.

Some of what the Phillies do with their prospects will depend on the type of contract Harper signs and a couple of other things. If Harper signs a deal with an opt-out in three years the Phillies might want to hold onto some outfielders as insurance.

Obviously, not every outfielder will be traded, but if the organization needs to add a pitcher their outfielders could be hot commodities.

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