Ranking the Top 5 greatest outfielders in Phillies franchise history

No. 2: Bryce Harper

He's not even an outfielder anymore, and recency bias is doubtlessly in play, but the ongoing legacy of the greatest Phillie since the Utley-Rollins-Howard days is now more than enough to land Bryce Harper near the top of this list. 

Harper is only 31, but no other outfielder in Phillies history has won two MVPs. In fact, no Phillies position player has ever won an MVP after signing from a different organization. And arguably, no player has had a larger off-field impact on the franchise ever than Harper. 

Harper's arrival reignited baseball fever in Philadelphia and yanked an organization that was stubbornly mired in a lingering rebuild back into the national eye. His presence and outsized personality, combined with a long-term devotion to the team etched in his contract, helped lure numerous other stars. He led the team to two consecutive appearances in the NLCS in 2022 and 2023. 

A superstar since he emerged in the MLB as a 19-year-old, Harper already has 46.2 WAR to his name, along with 306 home runs and a career OPS+ of 143. Those numbers catapult him ahead of all Phillies outfielders since 1900 aside from Richie Ashburn, and Harper still has eight years left on a contract that is likely to be extended. 

Harper appears a very good bet to reach 500 home runs, and the only other thing that's left to cement his legacy is a World Series championship. While a portion of Harper's output to date was in a Nationals uniform, when all is said and done, it's a red P that will adorn his plaque in Cooperstown. And perhaps, even, a statue down on Pattison and Broad.